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EA brought the original The Sims and The Sims 2 back to Windows PC in 2025 as digital Legacy Collections, marking the franchise’s 25th anniversary. Each collection bundles its game with a substantial selection of its original expansions and stuff packs; a third option, the 25th Birthday Bundle, includes both. These are compatibility-focused re-releases, not full remakes.
What EA released for the anniversary
EA announced a global rollout beginning January 31, 2025, through the EA app, Steam, and Epic Games Store for Windows 10 and 11 PCs. EA’s current product page lists all three storefronts and describes the collections as available. EA’s anniversary announcement called the collections “designed to work on modern PCs.”
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
![The Sims 4 - Parenthood - Origin PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51N60qq6z6L._SL160_.jpg)
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The Sims 4 - Parenthood - Origin PC [Online Game Code] | $13.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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The Sims 4 - PC/Mac | $35.69 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![The Sims: Legacy Collection - PC EA App [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Jb0ntRqjL._SL160_.jpg)
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The Sims: Legacy Collection - PC EA App [Online Game Code] | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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The Sims: Complete Collection - PC | $76.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
![The Sims 4 - Vampires - Origin PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/513y5rPI8OL._SL160_.jpg)
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The Sims 4 - Vampires - Origin PC [Online Game Code] | $11.20 | Buy on Amazon |
The re-release centers on two separate purchases and one combined bundle:
| Edition | What it includes | Announced price in 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| The Sims: Legacy Collection | The Sims, seven original expansion packs, and The Sims 4: Throwback Fit Kit | $19.99 |
| The Sims 2: Legacy Collection | The Sims 2, its listed expansion and stuff packs, and The Sims 4: Grunge Revival Kit | $29.99 |
| The Sims 25th Birthday Bundle | Both Legacy Collections | $39.99 |
Those are EA’s announcement-era prices, not a promise of today’s price. Store prices can vary by region and change over time, so check the EA app, Steam, or Epic Games Store listing for the current amount. The collections are digital licenses; EA’s product listing describes access to digital content. EA’s current product page lists the editions and storefronts.
#1 Best Overall
- Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. For PC, see minimum system requirements for the pack.
- Develop Parenting Skills – Level up your Sim’s parenting skills to satisfy their child’s needs and influence their behaviors. Gain new abilities through experience and choosing when to discipline bad actions, encourage good behavior, or just let kids be kids.
- Shape Your Sim’s Childhood – The decisions you make influence how your Sim parents and leave a lasting impact on their child’s future. Each choice shapes their personality, affects their traits, influences their family relationships, and guides their path into adulthood.
- Gather your Sim’s family to participate in new activities and spend quality time with each other. Sims of all ages can work together to complete a variety of school projects, express their creativity using construction blocks, or volunteer their time for good.
- Customize your Sims’ looks and their home with new family fashion and build items. Give the kids’ bedrooms extra personality, remodel the kitchen to feel homier, and let your Sims express their sporty or artistic sides with new outfits.
What comes with each collection
The Sims: Legacy Collection
The first game’s collection includes The Sims and these seven expansions:
- Livin’ Large
- House Party
- Hot Date
- Vacation
- Unleashed
- Superstar
- Makin’ Magic
It also includes The Sims 4: Throwback Fit Kit. That is bonus content for The Sims 4, not a pack for the original game.
The Sims 2: Legacy Collection
The second game’s collection includes The Sims 2, these eight expansions, and nine stuff packs:
Rank #2
- Create unique sims: A variety of sims are yours to personalize, each with distinct appearances, dynamic personalities, and inspiring aspirations
- Build the perfect home: Construct the home of your, and their dreams by planning its layout, choosing furnishings, and altering the landscape and terrain
- Explore vibrant worlds: Travel between locations, discover amazing and distinctive neighborhoods, and encounter captivating venues
- Play with life: Control the rich and entertaining moments of your Sims’ lives from their relationships to their careers
- Expansions: University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Bon Voyage, Seasons, FreeTime, and Apartment Life.
- Stuff packs: Holiday Party Pack, Family Fun Stuff, Glamour Life Stuff, Happy Holiday Stuff, Celebration! Stuff, H&M Fashion Stuff, Teen Style Stuff, Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff, and Mansion & Garden Stuff.
The collection also includes The Sims 4: Grunge Revival Kit, which is separate from the The Sims 2 content.
The Sims 25th Birthday Bundle
EA says the bundle contains both Legacy Collections. It is the option to choose if you want both re-released games and their included packs; compare its current storefront price with buying the two collections separately before purchasing.
What changed in the original game’s PC release
EA says the relaunched The Sims was rebuilt for modern computers while keeping its gameplay and graphics true to the original. The support page describes support for Windows 10 and 11, Vulkan, widescreen monitors, and higher-quality textures for buildings and objects. EA also says it made fixes where it could do so safely without changing the game’s design, rather than attempting to fix every historical issue. EA Help’s Legacy Collection guide explains the changes and support details.
Rank #3
- Create Your Sims - Design the personalities, skills, and appearances of your Sims. Make an original Sim or re-create yourself, your family, or friends.
- Build Their Homes - Move them into pre-built homes or design your dream home from the ground up with over 1000 items.
- Run Their Lives… - Lead your Sims to happiness by pursuing careers, making friends, and finding romance.
- … Or Ruin Them - See what happens when you let chaos unfold!
- Rated T for Teen – Comic Mischief, Mild Violence, Sexual Themes, Mild Language
That makes “modern-PC re-release” a more accurate description than “remake” or “remaster.” The intended experience remains the original game, with adjustments for current display and graphics support. EA does not promise that every old bug has been removed.
Minimum PC requirements and the Vulkan caveat
EA Help lists these minimum requirements for The Sims: Legacy Collection. The GPU model families alone are not enough to confirm compatibility: EA’s Patch 5 notes additionally require a Vulkan-compatible graphics card, so check the manufacturer’s specifications and keep its driver current.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →| Component | Minimum for The Sims: Legacy Collection |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 |
| Processor | Intel i3 3220, Ryzen 3 1200, or AMD FX6300 |
| Memory | 4 GB |
| Free storage | 16 GB |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 600 series or later, AMD Radeon HD 7000 series or later, or Intel HD Graphics 620 series or later; Vulkan support is also required |
These are the minimums EA publishes for the first game’s Legacy Collection, not a performance benchmark or a guarantee that every system meeting the list will behave identically. Consult EA Help for its requirements and EA’s Patch 5 notes for the Vulkan requirement.
Rank #4
- The phenomenon that started it all! Completely build and customize your Sims' homes, decide their career paths and romances, and choose from hundreds of items to keep them happy. Their lives are in your hands
- Livin' Large gives your Sims the wild life! A wider range of objects and styles allows even the most timid Sim to cut loose and live it up
- House Party lets you throw the ultimate theme party. Engage in new group activities, and rock the house with different music and dance styles
- Vacation you'll choose whether your Sims will spend the weekend at a beach resort, rough it in the woods, or chill out in a winter wonderland
- Hot Date takes you from candlelit romance to cuddling on the couch. Let your Sims enjoy downtown delights as their relationships heat up
Old saves, mods, and compatibility issues
Moving an old save
EA says old The Sims save files may work if they are not corrupted, but they must be copied into the new version’s save location. The old files are not described as automatically appearing in the new installation. EA Help provides the current save-location guidance.
Using mods
Maxis has not tested or supported mods for the relaunched The Sims. Whether a particular mod works is up to its creator, so treat compatibility as uncertain rather than assuming an old mod will run correctly.
What the 2025 fixes do—and do not—establish
EA’s February 27, 2025 Patch 5 notes listed stability and performance work, plus fixes involving language settings, save directories, and long launches for The Sims. For The Sims 2, EA listed stability and language fixes and several gameplay and launch fixes. The notes also documented reports involving Intel Arc graphics and The Sims 2, which EA discussed in connection with Intel ending direct support for DirectX 9 and using a translation layer. EA said some issues remained under investigation at the time.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsBest Value
- Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. For PC, see minimum system requirements for the pack.
- Create Vampires
- Unleash Supernatural Powers
- Escape to Forgotten Hollow
- Live the Immortal Life
Those notes are a dated account of compatibility work in February 2025; they do not establish which reported problems remain or have since been resolved in 2026. They also do not support a ranking of the two collections’ performance. Read the Patch 5 notes for the issues EA recorded then.
Which edition should you buy?
- Choose The Sims: Legacy Collection if you want the first game and its seven listed expansions. Confirm your graphics hardware supports Vulkan before buying.
- Choose The Sims 2: Legacy Collection if you want the second game and its listed expansions and stuff packs.
- Choose the Birthday Bundle if you want both. Check current regional prices in your preferred storefront rather than assuming the 2025 announced amounts still apply.
EA also announced more than 70 new items for a free The Sims 4 base-game update alongside the anniversary content. That update is separate: its items are not included in either Legacy Collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will old The Sims 1 save files work with the Legacy Collection?
EA says uncorrupted old saves may work, but you need to copy them to the new save location; they are not described as automatically transferring.
Will mods work with the relaunched The Sims?
Maxis has not tested or supported mods for the relaunch. Compatibility depends on the individual mod, so check with its creator.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Is The Sims: Legacy Collection a remake?
No. EA describes it as rebuilt for modern computers while keeping the original gameplay and graphics true to the original. It adds modern compatibility and display support rather than presenting itself as a full remake.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
