With the 25th anniversary of The Sims upon us, it seems 1 & 2 might be getting remastered and re-released, and 4 is getting new content per usual. Why is 3 being ignored? With the open world and customizable objects and clothing, it has the potential to be the best of the franchise with some updates. It already is the best in my opinion, with 2 a close second. 4 is too cartoonish, and 1 too primitive, 3 is the perfect setup. If EA could fix a few of the bugs, and even just one new expansion pack (new vehicles/clothes/technology/sport) it could be perfect and last another 15+ years. I always seem to see the value in things the mainstream views as the least of them all. Sigh…

it's probably because The Sims and The Sims 2 are practically abandonware while The Sims 3 are still being sold on Steam and just got updated for modern hardware.

Neither of the games being re-released were even available for legitimate purchase. I also doubt that they're adding new content or even fixing old content in either of those entries, 'remaster' is a word that is being thrown around baselessly.
Compatible with modern hardware, something the community has already achieved with their own patches, but DRM locked to the EA App and sold for some as-if-new price... I don't have very strong feelings either way (I own the originals already, so it doesn't really affect me at all) but it's not like they're bending over backwards for this.

Any patch that actually affects the core of these games would also be disastrous for modding.
I'd rather they leave it alone. Just look at the 1.70 Mac patch- anyone with a clue of how to develop these older titles at EA have been put out to pasture.
I most certainly don't need their TS4 devs milking another DLC out of it for it to continue to endure. The TS3 Store has what, something like $7500 dollars of items on it total? Plus 16 years worth of custom content? How much more do you need?

TS3 is my favourite too, but good grief... just play it and worry less about EA's dwindling opinion of it. It's right there! In the best state it's ever been! Some forms of modding for it are easier than ever, due to really awesome new tools! It's honestly fine.

Y'know I was just looking at my library the other day. I've bought about every pack I could get for the Sims 3 plus more store content than I'd like to admit and yet, I've about three times as much DLC for Sims 4 than Sim 3. I was one of those fools that bought everything for Sims 4... until the game really started to break down and I stopped (Around For Rent). Yet I have had more fun in Sims 3 than Sims 4. It really say something about the state of affairs. Sims 3 is great with the content it has. While Sims 4 is a cashgrab. The worst offender being the kits... they have released like 5 kits in the last month. Each one at 59kr a pop.

I’m not saying Sims 3 NEEDS new content because there isn’t enough already, it was more a wish to have updated vehicles, tvs, smart phones, etc. to keep the game looking current. All my in-game vehicles are from about 2018 and older, likewise some of the tvs are big and bulky. Same for computers, smart phones, etc. that’s all. I agree, we don’t NEED anything new for a lack of availability. Just sad that Sims 3 isn’t quite getting the love during this 25th anniversary celebration that 1, 2 and 4 are getting. Thanks for the discussion!

Yeah, I agree. It does feel strange that they're leaving out the Sims 3. It would be nice of them if they released a new expansion for Sims 3 with stuff ported from the Sims 4. Like how nee exapnsiond has been released for Age of Empires 2. Tho I'm not sure what stuff there's in Sims 4 that isn't in Sims 3... clubs? Rock climbing? Live careers?

Is there no new CC made for the Sims 3? If there is, that could give you some modern stuff?

There are a lot of new cc for TS3, especially conversions from either 2 or 4. And TS3 players are hardly missing out since almost every new content from TS4 is converted to TS3..

Correct, except vehicles. I’m surprised at how quickly vehicle styles change. Even real life vehicles from 2018-2020 look so different and dated compared to their 2024-2025 counterparts. I did see Fresh Prince has added some new models after 2020, but most are luxury brands vs everyday vehicles regular people - or Sims - can afford. Again, this is just wishful thinking, and personal preference. One of the reasons I stuck with 3 instead of moving to 4 was the ability to make the game look realistic. So updated, current vehicles is part of that. Besides a complete lack of vehicles, 4 is so cartoony and caricature-esque. If we’re supposed to be SIMulating real life, real life isn’t cartoons. 😀

I own all 4 versions. 3 is my fave. I only play 4 in bits and pieces and the first 2 versions were uninstalled ages ago. I am totally a disk person for the first 3 versions, and glad of it. The thing I would like most for 3 perhaps is working restaurants. That is one thing I build in 4 a lot. What we got for 3 is lacking.

That would be cool! I have dl worlds with restaurants, but the game engine doesn't send other Sims to order food, etc.

Looks like TS3 stood outside the clownery this time

Well, you've always been able to buy Sims 3, and it's been updated for Mac and Steam too. So it's not forgotten, and we don't need EA to remind us how fabulous this game is!

While I know CC isn't always preferable to official content (I don't play with a lot of it myself), having a specific niche of content that you want the game to have is often the entry point to going down the rabbit hole of making your own. Something to consider?

Personally, the era these games were set in is a huge part of their charm and I've never desired to modernise them. Such an update would be for very specific tastes.
I like to lean into the retrofuturism- the world of The Sims 3 has time machines, food replicators, magic, sentient robots, etc. I sincerely hope their 2025 wouldn't look just like ours does :p

I have a feeling that stuff packs like DIESEL (or even Katy Perry Sweat Treats - which isn't even available now anyway) would not even make it to a remastered re-release of The Sims 3, considering that IKEA is missing from the re-release of The Sims 2.

You never know, though, since H&M was still included...

The Sims 3 requires so many mods, fixes, and technical adjustments that EA probably knows they should invest a good amount of time and some resources instead of an intern to fix it. So they prefer to just sweep it under the rug.

They also know that with those fixes, it would become the best game in the series, with more customization and possibilities. That would destroy the sense of limitation they created with 4, where it feels like a good game is impossible.

I find it gratifying that so many people are now saying positive things about TS3. Not so long ago it seemed like we TS3 stalwarts had become the lepers of the simming community, what with so many slagging off the game in favour of 4. Whereas now... well one doesn't like to gloat.

Well, I have always thought that it could be the best game, what takes it away a lot is the lack of support from EA for so many years. Because of the negligence that EA has had with all its games, there is no one that is the best, but certainly 4 is not. The community is the only thing that has kept Sims 3 afloat, making it minimally playable for people with a low technical knowledge.

Admittedly my vantage point on this topic is a little different than most others. I mean, I've been very busy lately. But there is something I would like to clarify here.

There's a TS4? I mean a real one, not some hypothetical thing that doesn't truly exist and that everyone likes to complain about, but one that actually got officially released? When did that happen and how did I miss the announcement? Do you think those nutjobs at NRaas will make any mods for it?

Oh, it's not important, don't let it distract us from Sims 1, 2 and 3!

The more I think about a rerelease, the more it doesn't bother me that EA probably never will. I'm all disk. Most likely, any new release would be tied to one of the download only, online apps that 99% of people can't stand, because they get locked out, or some other glitch that we see complained about on MTS.

Another is EA's ability to screw up, and break stuff. Most of us have mods that we enjoy... some core and script. How many here think EA wouldn't break at least half of them? Aside from the folks at Nraas, who would most likely update, many of those older mods are unsupported for the most part, so no updates.

Looks like I’ve opened a Pandora’s box of opinions, but I love it! It means we all care about Sims 3. I hope to play it for years to come, at least until something better is introduced to replace it. And that doesn’t necessarily mean another EA title either…

I'm glad they're ignoring Sims 3. I hope they continue to ignore it. My game runs beautifully and I know it will stay that way because EA doesn't have their disgustingly grubby hands in it, "fixing" one thing that didn't even need fixing, while breaking at least a dozen important things in the process. Don't get me started on the lost lovely lighting again, so don't get any freakin ideas EA

I have darn near been told I lie here in the past when I said my 3 plays beautifully. I have had on 4 computers. I am totally disk. They can leave my game and CAW alone as far as I am concerned. I do use some Nraas mods. I do play with a boatload of CC.

Boat load of CC? I'm playing with the entire 7th Fleet! :D