Yep, you heard it right: The Sims 4 Legacy Edition, launched for older PC and Mac systems, will soon be discontinued. Read our article below to see how this change might affect your game and find out what you can do about it!
The Sims 4: Legacy Edition for PC and Mac Users
Last November 14, 2022, the official Twitter account of The Sims Direct Communications posted a tweet announcing the discontinuation of The Sims 4: Legacy Edition on PC and Mac systems. If you’re wondering what this means, SnootySims is here to explain it.
The Sims 4: Legacy Edition was launched by Electronic Arts (EA) in 2019 as a response to players who have purchased the full version of the game but cannot play it on their older devices that utilize earlier versions of PC and MAC operating systems (OS). By releasing the Legacy Edition, EA has given players the opportunity to acquire a special variant of The Sims 4 that could run on PCs that have 32- bit operating systems or MACs that have Non-Metal operating systems.
There are some limitations in the Legacy Edition of The Sims 4, but it still pretty much captures the essence of the entire game. However, EA is discontinuing this version in a few days.
Important FAQs about The Sims 4: Legacy Edition
We have gathered essential information regarding the shutdown of The Sims 4 Legacy Edition and laid down some useful tips for you in case you are affected by this upcoming change.
1. Why is The Sims 4: Legacy Edition shutting down?
The Sims 4 is a high-level video game that processes loads of information and renders heavy graphics on your computer. For it to be able to run efficiently, it needs to use a lot of computing power and memory from your PC or MAC. Additionally, there are consistent updates and patches that are essential for the game, as well as continual launches of new expansion packs, game packs, stuff packs, and kits.
Thus, with the steady evolution of The Sims 4, your device must be able to keep up to cater to these ongoing developments. The Sims 4: Legacy Edition has been launched by EA Games so that players may be able to run the game even though they have older versions of PC and Mac OS on their devices. However, with the aforementioned frequent modifications for the game, the Legacy Edition that runs on older devices is being discontinued as the hardware of these devices is no longer capable to accommodate more intense graphics and audio components that The Sims 4 requires.
2. How will the discontinuation of The Sims 4: Legacy Edition affect players?
The official Twitter account of The Sims Direct Communications announced through their tweet that The Sims 4: Legacy Edition will be discontinued starting December 12, 2022. With this change, the said tweet also provided information on how affected players may upgrade to the Standard Edition of The Sims 4 to be still able to run the game once EA shuts it down. The Standard Edition of The Sims 4 is the regular version of the game which runs without limitations on PC and Mac.
However, such an upgrade to the Standard Edition is only possible if the devices used by players meet the current minimum requirements of the game.
3. How do I know if I have The Sims 4: Legacy Edition or Standard Edition on my PC/Mac?
We have some tips on how you can know which edition of The Sims 4 runs on your PC or Mac. If you answer “no” to all the following questions below, then you most likely have the Sims 4: Legacy Edition installed on your device:
- Were you able to update the game this year to the most recent version?
- Have you recently been able to buy install and the latest kits?
- Have you been able to buy expansion packs, game packs, or stuff packs released from 2020 onwards?
- Do you have access to the downloads in The Sims 4 gallery?
4. Can I still play The Sims 4 if I am affected by this change?
If in case you are indeed using The Sims 4: Legacy Edition, you can check the PC or Mac you are using right now to find out if your device meets the current minimum requirements of the Standard Edition of The Sims 4.
- If you are using a PC with a Windows OS, click here and follow the instructions to check the version of your Windows OS. If the system type shows that you are running a 64-bit operating system, your device meets the requirements, and you can still play the game. If not, you can choose to upgrade your Window OS to a 64-bit operating system by reading more about it here.
- If you are using a Mac with a macOS, click here and follow the instructions to check the version of your macOS. If you find out that you are using Metal macOS with a macOS 10.11 (El Capitan) or above, your device meets the requirements, and you can still play the game. If not, you can choose to upgrade your macOS to Metal by reading more about it here.
Bear in mind that you can still keep your old save files if you choose to upgrade to the Standard Edition. However, some mods and custom content that have worked in the Legacy Edition of your game may no longer do in the Standard Edition. In the event that you cannot upgrade your PC or Mac to a newer, more recent version of its OS, you would have to resort to using another device to be able to keep playing The Sims 4.
Final Thoughts
The Sims 4: Legacy Edition is coming to an end this December, so make sure to prepare ahead for this change by checking your game edition as early as now. But do not worry about how this might affect you! No matter what, we players can always find ways to keep running our awesome game. Happy playing simmers!
