# Sims 3 Expansion Packs in Order

Source: https://sims3mods.com/expansion-packs

Last updated: 2026-11-11

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.

## Every Sims 3 expansion pack

| # | Expansion pack | Released (EA) | What it adds |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **The Sims 3 World Adventures** | November 17, 2009 | Travel abroad to hunt for treasure, with new skills and traits |
| 2 | **The Sims 3 Ambitions** | June 1, 2010 | New career opportunities, from town hero to local troublemaker |
| 3 | **The Sims 3 Late Night** | October 26, 2010 | Nightlife hot spots, celebrities and bouncers at the exclusive venues |
| 4 | **The Sims 3 Generations** | May 31, 2011 | More to do in every life stage, from childhood to adult life |
| 5 | **The Sims 3 Pets** | October 18, 2011 | Dogs, cats and horses with their own looks and traits |
| 6 | **The Sims 3 Showtime** | March 6, 2012 | Fame as a singer, acrobat, magician or DJ in the world of Starlight Shores |
| 7 | **The Sims 3 Supernatural** | September 4, 2012 | Witches, vampires, fairies and werewolves, playable from Create a Sim |
| 8 | **The Sims 3 Seasons** | November 13, 2012 | Weather, the four seasons, festivals and outdoor sports |
| 9 | **The Sims 3 University Life** | March 5, 2013 | University life with class activities, major-specific objects and new social connections |
| 10 | **The Sims 3 Island Paradise** | June 25, 2013 | Islands, boats, diving and running your own resort |
| 11 | **The Sims 3 Into the Future** | October 22, 2013 | A 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

| Store | Base game | Each expansion | Mac |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Steam | $19.99 | $19.99 | Windows only on Steam |
| EA app | Listed | Listed; price shown for your region | Yes, 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.

## 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:

- The Sims 3
- World Adventures
- High-End Loft Stuff
- Ambitions
- Fast Lane Stuff
- Late Night
- Outdoor Living Stuff
- Generations
- Town Life Stuff
- Pets
- Master Suite Stuff
- Showtime
- The sweets stuff pack
- Diesel Stuff
- Supernatural
- Seasons
- 70s, 80s and 90s Stuff
- University Life
- Island Paradise
- Movie Stuff
- 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](/graphics-mods). Some cheats also need a pack, as noted in the [Sims 3 cheats list](/cheats).

## 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.