‘We needed this’: The Sims 4 adds polyamorous relationships in free update

The Sims 4 has a steamy new expansion pack in the works, Lovestruck, which focuses on fleshing out romantic options. And, alongside it’s release on July 25, there’s going to be a free update that finally lets players explore polyamory.

Before this relationship update, Sims who experienced romantic feelings for multiple partners faced issues with jealousy. Now, with the introduction of a new “Romantic Boundaries” system, as per the official Sims blog, relationship penalties and jealousy have been removed, letting interested players now define how their Sims approach relationships in terms of exclusivity⁠—both physically and emotionally. 

The patch has also added new social options that will let Sims further explore polyamory without any hindrances. For many Sims players, especially those on console who can’t use mods, this update is a gamechanger. Fans have already taken to Twitter (formerly X) to express their joy, with one player declaring, “I needed this years ago when I made my Sims a throuple and they started all fighting and crying cuz they all got cheated on.” Others also added they were eager to see new mods from the change.

The introduction of polyamory broadens storytelling a lot. Players can now create and explore narratives that reflect a wider array of possible real-life dynamics. And, while the free patch adds a lot, The Sims 4: Lovestruck expansion offers even more romantic content to boot. The expansion pack adds a new city called the Ciudad Enamorada, with three new districts to explore. There’s also the introduction of the Cupid’s Corner dating app, which lets Sims create dating profiles and even plan their dates for a modern twist.

The expansion pack also adds a new Sim turn-on and turn-off feature, which is going to allow the player to create a more nuanced attraction system based on the Sim’s personalities. For players looking to take their Sims’ career into the field of romance, there’s the addition of a Romance Consultants career path. Finally, there are four new “Romance Dynamics” that are being introduced, namely: Wholesome, Steamy, Strained and Unpredictable. These are essentially four new kinds of relationships the Sims can fall into after socializing and unlocking romantic interactions with other Sims.