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Sims 3 Expansion Packs in Order

The Sims 3 has 11 expansion packs: World Adventures (2009), Ambitions (2010), Late Night (2010), Generations (2011), Pets (2011), Showtime (2012), Supernatural (2012), Seasons (2012), University Life (2013), Island Paradise (2013) and Into the Future (2013). All are still sold on the EA app and Steam, where each costs $19.99.

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Every Sims 3 expansion pack

#Expansion packReleased (EA)What it adds
1The Sims 3 World AdventuresNovember 17, 2009Travel abroad to hunt for treasure, with new skills and traits
2The Sims 3 AmbitionsJune 1, 2010New career opportunities, from town hero to local troublemaker
3The Sims 3 Late NightOctober 26, 2010Nightlife hot spots, celebrities and bouncers at the exclusive venues
4The Sims 3 GenerationsMay 31, 2011More to do in every life stage, from childhood to adult life
5The Sims 3 PetsOctober 18, 2011Dogs, cats and horses with their own looks and traits
6The Sims 3 ShowtimeMarch 6, 2012Fame as a singer, acrobat, magician or DJ in the world of Starlight Shores
7The Sims 3 SupernaturalSeptember 4, 2012Witches, vampires, fairies and werewolves, playable from Create a Sim
8The Sims 3 SeasonsNovember 13, 2012Weather, the four seasons, festivals and outdoor sports
9The Sims 3 University LifeMarch 5, 2013University life with class activities, major-specific objects and new social connections
10The Sims 3 Island ParadiseJune 25, 2013Islands, boats, diving and running your own resort
11The Sims 3 Into the FutureOctober 22, 2013A time portal to a future world and the Advanced Technology skill

Dates are the release dates on EA's own store pages. Steam shows later dates for most packs because that is when they arrived on Steam, starting in 2011. The base game came out on June 1, 2009.

Stuff packs and worlds

Expansions are the big packs. EA also made two smaller kinds of add-on:

  • Stuff packs add objects and clothes but little gameplay. EA's install list has nine: High-End Loft, Fast Lane, Outdoor Living, Town Life, Master Suite, Diesel, 70s, 80s and 90s, Movie Stuff, and a sweets-themed celebrity pack.
  • Worlds are new towns to live in. The EA app sells Barnacle Bay, Hidden Springs, Monte Vista, Dragon Valley and Roaring Heights, plus a Worlds Bundle. EA Help says a world bought in the EA app arrives as a code you redeem on TheSims3.com, and some worlds are sold only on TheSims3.com.

Where to buy them and what they cost

StoreBase gameEach expansionMac
Steam$19.99$19.99Windows only on Steam
EA appListedListed; price shown for your regionYes, through the EA app for Mac

Steam prices are the US prices on November 11, 2026. On a Mac, EA Help says the 64-bit version needs Metal graphics and macOS 10.13 or later, is the only version that runs on macOS 10.15 and later, and installs as a new application in the EA app.

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Every season and career, no packs to buy.

LifeSim is a free life simulator in the browser and on iPhone, with nothing to download or buy. Be anyone in any real city on Earth, on a real 3D map. Type who you are, or import your Sims 3 household.

Install order for disc copies

Digital packs install themselves. For discs, EA Help asks you to install the base game first, register each pack's code in the EA app, and install in release order:

  1. The Sims 3
  2. World Adventures
  3. High-End Loft Stuff
  4. Ambitions
  5. Fast Lane Stuff
  6. Late Night
  7. Outdoor Living Stuff
  8. Generations
  9. Town Life Stuff
  10. Pets
  11. Master Suite Stuff
  12. Showtime
  13. The sweets stuff pack
  14. Diesel Stuff
  15. Supernatural
  16. Seasons
  17. 70s, 80s and 90s Stuff
  18. University Life
  19. Island Paradise
  20. Movie Stuff
  21. Into the Future

Start the game from the disc of the newest pack you installed. A disc install won't update past patch 1.67. To get the newest patch, which many current mods are built for, register your codes and install through the EA app instead.

Which expansion to get first

  • A town that changes through the year: Seasons.
  • New careers: Ambitions, or Showtime for singers, acrobats and magicians.
  • Animals: Pets, with dogs, cats and horses.
  • Travel: World Adventures, Island Paradise or Into the Future.
  • Family play: Generations.

Most mods work with any set of packs, but some gameplay mods need a specific one, so check each mod page before you download. If a game with many packs runs slowly, see the graphics and performance mods. Some cheats also need a pack, as noted in the Sims 3 cheats list.

FAQ

How many Sims 3 expansion packs are there?

Eleven, from World Adventures in 2009 to Into the Future in 2013. There are also nine stuff packs and several store worlds.

What was the last Sims 3 expansion pack?

Into the Future, released on October 22, 2013 according to EA's store page.

Do I need to install Sims 3 packs in order?

For digital copies, no. For discs, EA recommends release order, oldest first.

A LifeSim character

Free · no download · LifeSim

Every season and career, no packs to buy.

LifeSim is a free life simulator in the browser and on iPhone, with nothing to download or buy. Be anyone in any real city on Earth, on a real 3D map. Type who you are, or import your Sims 3 household.

Sources (17)
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  13. help.ea.com
  14. help.ea.com
  15. store.steampowered.com
  16. store.steampowered.com
  17. store.steampowered.com
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