Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • Summer Game Fest
  • New games for 2025
  • Upcoming Switch 2 games
  • Switch 2 stock

Recommended reading

Simulation Games Indie Sims-like Paralives is getting everything from modding tools to cooking and house fires right at its early-access release, but stuff like weather and pets will be added in free updates
The Sims 4 Realm of Magic
The Sims New Sims 4 teasers have fans convinced one of the most hotly anticipated features from The Sims 3 is finally making a return: "Yep, it's definitely fairies!"
Paralives
Simulation Games Sims competitor Paralives secures a December early access release, hopefully giving life sim enjoyers something fresh after inZOI's mixed reception and Life by You's cancellation
The Sims 4 Enchanted by Nature fairy
The Sims After weeks of speculation, EA officially unveils new Sims 4 expansion Enchanted by Nature – and all fans can think is how it'll up their challenge game: "Rags to Riches is gonna go crazy in this world"
Grave Seasons art showing a man with tied-back black hair wielding a hoe while a crow rests atop a fence nearby
Simulation Games This Stardew Valley-ish farming sim looks super cozy until you find out about the supernatural serial killer (who you can also romance)
InZOI: a screenshot of the InZOI character creator.
Simulation Games inZOI: Everything you need to know about the new life sim
The Grave Seasons protagonist waters seeds in a plot of soil and an orange border says Summer Preview 2025
Horror Games With Haunted Chocolatier still miles away, farming sim with serial killers Grave Seasons is here to scratch that cozy horror itch until it bleeds
  1. Games
  2. Simulation
  3. The Sims
  4. The Sims 3 Seasons

The Sims 3 Seasons - Exclusive winter-only details

Features
By Sophia Tong published 1 November 2012

Get your snuggie! Winter is coming

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Winter wonderland

Winter wonderland

Hot cocoa, a warm fire, snuggling in a rustic log cabin. What more could you want from a winter retreat? Sure, it's probably -40F/C outside and the icy winds will give you frostbite in just minutes, but take advantage! Have your Sims canoodle or woohoo within the confines of a cozy home. Or bundle up and hit the slopes!

Here's our final exclusive look at what's included in the upcoming expansion, The Sims 3 Seasons, where we ask Graham Nardone, the assistant producer what to expect when the snow begins to fall. In this case, it's falling on November 13 in North American and November 16 in Europe.

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
GamesRadar: What kind of winter activities will the Sims have to look forward to?

GamesRadar: What kind of winter activities will the Sims have to look forward to?

Graham Nardone: Winter is one of the most visually impactful times of the year in The Sims 3 Seasons, and with it comes a whole host of new activities that Sims can participate in! As the temperature begins to drop, new possibilities will unlock as lakes and ponds freeze over. Once the ice is solid enough your Sim can actually go ice skating on it, which makes for an adventurous getaway from the skating rink. Even more fun moments can be discovered as snow begins to blanket the world; your Sims can go out and create snow angels, build snowmen, have snowball fights, and even build an igloo! One of our fantastic new objects is the snowboard half-pipe, where athletic Sims love to show off their tricks during the winter festival.

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
GR: Was there anything that you felt like just had to be part of the Seasons expansion?

GR: Was there anything that you felt like just had to be part of the Seasons expansion?

Graham Nadrone: Intense blizzards make for a really compelling visual in video games, and we saw The Sims 3 Seasons as an opportunity to bring all the different types of weather to life in the open neighborhoods that Sims live in. As you play, the seasons and weather will gradually change around you to create a very realistic portrayal of what youd see outside your window in real life. In winter youll first see frost gather on the ground and windows. As snow begins to fall, itll lightly dust the entire world. As the snowfall intensifies, snow will actually pile up on the ground and get deeper throughout the world. Thick snow will appear ready to fall from a roof at a moments notice, and icicles will form along the roof edges. As cars drive throughout the world, youll actually see tire tracks appear that gradually tamp the snow down over time until the roads are relatively clear. When temperatures rise, the snow will actually melt in patches, just like it does in real life. Sometimes you find yourself just staring at the game and taking in the beauty of it all!

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
GR: What can you tell us about Snowflake Day?

GR: What can you tell us about Snowflake Day?

Graham Nardone: Snowflake Day is a new holiday that Sims enjoy at the end of winter every year. All Sims feel the holiday cheer on this special day, and they love going to the festival to socialize with their friends and neighbors over a cup of hot chocolate or eggnog. If your Sims are very lucky, theyll wake up in the morning to discover a fresh layer of snow in the world to run outside and play in. Its also the perfect day to throw a gift giving party by inviting others over to your home to exchange gifts and celebrate the season. Dont be the Sim that ends up stuck with a lump of coal!

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
GR: What kind of trouble are the Sims able to get into during the winter?

GR: What kind of trouble are the Sims able to get into during the winter?

Graham Nardone: Daring Sims looking to inject some excitement in their lives can take a frigid plunge into the ocean in the winter to receive the Polar Bear moodlet. Not only is it a badge of honor that you can show off to your friends, but it actually helps build your Sims tolerance to freezing temperatures. Even then you still have to be careful about staying out for too long, as eventually a Sim will succumb to the frosty conditions and actually freeze solid. If you cant get another Sim to come help you in time, you can actually die by freezing to death!

Sims with a mean disposition may not participate in the revelry of Snowflake Day, and instead decide to spread a little holiday jeer. Right when youve created the perfect snow angel or gotten your snowman decorated just right, watch out for these grouchy Sims who take pleasure in destroying all the fun youve had in the snow.

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
What season are you looking forward to the most?

What season are you looking forward to the most?

We've already determined that fall is the best time of the year, but what season do you like the most? What activities are you looking forward to doing with your Sims? Let us know in the comments below!

If you liked this article, be sure to check out other seasonal features that we've done including What to expect from Spooky Day and Craziest ways to kill your sims.

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
TOPICS
EA
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Sophia Tong
Sophia Tong
Sophia is a transplanted Canadian who loves video games, dogs, poutine, snowboarding, photography, food, and naps.
See more PC Gaming Features
Read more
Indie Sims-like Paralives is getting everything from modding tools to cooking and house fires right at its early-access release, but stuff like weather and pets will be added in free updates
The Sims 4 Realm of Magic
New Sims 4 teasers have fans convinced one of the most hotly anticipated features from The Sims 3 is finally making a return: "Yep, it's definitely fairies!"
Paralives
Sims competitor Paralives secures a December early access release, hopefully giving life sim enjoyers something fresh after inZOI's mixed reception and Life by You's cancellation
The Sims 4 Enchanted by Nature fairy
After weeks of speculation, EA officially unveils new Sims 4 expansion Enchanted by Nature – and all fans can think is how it'll up their challenge game: "Rags to Riches is gonna go crazy in this world"
Grave Seasons art showing a man with tied-back black hair wielding a hoe while a crow rests atop a fence nearby
This Stardew Valley-ish farming sim looks super cozy until you find out about the supernatural serial killer (who you can also romance)
InZOI: a screenshot of the InZOI character creator.
inZOI: Everything you need to know about the new life sim
Latest in The Sims
The Sims 4 Enchanted by Nature fairy
After weeks of speculation, EA officially unveils new Sims 4 expansion Enchanted by Nature – and all fans can think is how it'll up their challenge game: "Rags to Riches is gonna go crazy in this world"
Indie Sims-like Paralives is getting everything from modding tools to cooking and house fires right at its early-access release, but stuff like weather and pets will be added in free updates
The Sims 4 Realm of Magic
New Sims 4 teasers have fans convinced one of the most hotly anticipated features from The Sims 3 is finally making a return: "Yep, it's definitely fairies!"
inZOI Character Studio screenshot showing a young woman with short black/pink hair, black cat-like ears, and a black blouse with a bowtie
After just 1 week in Early Access, hyper-realistic Sims 4 competitor inZOI has sold over 1 million copies on Steam, with mod support and free DLC underway
inZOI Character Studio trailer screenshot showing a young woman with ginger-y hair and a light baseball cap smiling to the side
After just 4 days of inZOI early access, The Sims 4's most notorious NSFW mod has come to the hyper-realistic life sim
inZOI Character Studio trailer screenshot showing a young woman with ginger-y hair and a light baseball cap smiling to the side
If you can't get enough of killing Sims in The Sims 4, iNZOI offers "16 different types of deaths" to inflict upon your poor unsuspecting Zois
Latest in Features
Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord in Peacemaker season 2 trailer
Maxwell Lord - The comic history of the villain who mind-controlled Superman and almost destroyed the Justice League
Hades 2 announcement trailer
70 hours later and with a full launch imminent, I already miss Hades 2 being in Early Access
Toothless, Miles Morales' Mask, Battle Droid with STAP, and Nike Dunk sets divided from each other by white lines, with a 'GamesRadar+ New Lego' badge in the middle
New Lego sets for July 2025, including the perfect gift I think fans will go nuts for
Jan sadly presses a hand on a screen that says 'deceased' in The Alters
The Alters has changed the way I play games for the better, and after 18 years I can finally finish Mass Effect
Sam balances across a ladder high up in the mountains in Death Stranding 2
Death Stranding 2 is my favorite online game this year, even though you never directly see any other players
Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
The Squid Game season 3 finale is a crushing but ultimately hopeful conclusion – and I wouldn't have it any other way
  1. Sam fires at the ghost mech squid boss in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
    1
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  2. 2
    Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic"
  3. 3
    Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat"
  4. 4
    FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"
  5. 5
    Dune: Awakening review: "Both extremely compelling and extraordinarily boring, sometimes at the same time – yet still a true Dune love letter"
  1. A T-rex in Jurassic World Rebirth
    1
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  2. 2
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  3. 3
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  4. 4
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  5. 5
    From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review: "Brilliant action, even if the plot gives you a sense of déjà vu"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...