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  1. Games
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After 16 years, EA brings burglars back in The Sims 4 ahead of its Businesses and Hobbies expansion – but that's not all

News
By Anna Koselke published 26 February 2025

Burglars haven't been in-game since The Sims 3

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The Sims 4 burglar
(Image credit: EA)
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After revealing the upcoming Businesses and Hobbies expansion for The Sims 4, EA went on to tease the return of burglars – 16 years after they were last seen in the series when The Sims 3 launched – and the infamous NPCs are finally back now alongside some other goodies.

While the beloved series' new burglars aren't the raccoons in trench coats people speculated they might be, they're here nonetheless – and they're just as silly as they were in the first three Sims entries. A short clip of the NPCs in action showcases as much, with a burglar breaking into an unsuspecting Sim's house to steal her belongings while the iconic robbery-in-progress music plays. Eventually, the two Sims fight – and later fall in love, because why not?

It's a proper throwback to The Sims' golden era, and fans are obsessed. "We love to see it," comments one Simmer, while another writes that "using the original Sims 1 music was a nice touch." Burglars aren't the only new arrival in The Sims 4, however – an accompanying lot challenge, bug fixes, Create-A-Sim mode items, and tattoo customizations can also be found in-game now – right on time for the Businesses and Hobbies expansion pack.

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The burglar is back along with a new Burglar Lot challenge, tattoo customization options, in-game 25th Birthday apparel, bug fixes, improvements & more! 👀Available in game now ✨https://t.co/kQ9ZeIh1riFebruary 25, 2025

With the tattoo career dropping alongside the DLC next month, the ability to customize Sims' tattoos is the perfect way to prepare before players can do so with the upcoming paint tool for Simoleons. Whether it's a silly snail riding a skateboard (as seen in the expansion's trailer) or a highly detailed floral tattoo, the design possibilities truly feel endless come Businesses and Hobbies – and there's not long left to wait until March 6 now, either.

It seems as though it's a better time to be a Simmer now than ever, between Businesses and Hobbies and EA's other recent surprises like the nostalgia-inducing re-releases of the first two Sims games or The Sims 3 receiving its first update in 10 years. There's also no telling what's next for the fourth installment, especially as EA previously admitted there would be no Sims 5 but rather continuous work on The Sims 4 and the mysterious Project Rene.

I remade Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in The Sims 4 because I had massive FOMO, and now Henry is a serial frog-napper

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CATEGORIES
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Anna Koselke
Anna Koselke
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Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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