EA has shared a community blog for the announcement of the next The Sims 4 expansion Pack, Horse Ranch.
Saddle Up With the Sims 4 Horse Ranch Expansion Pack
Invite your neigh-bor Ranchers over as we welcome Horses
There is no better feeling than coming home to your very own stretch of land inspired by the great American West. Players can explore the rustic locale and curate their ideal ranch life – whether that be a barn full of animal friends or a relaxing cabin on the prairie, each moment is sure to feel authentic and meaningful.
In The Sims™ 4Horse Ranch Expansion Pack, players will have the opportunity to raise, train and form special bonds with majestic Horses, and fall in love with adorable Mini Goats and Mini Sheep. You can saddle up and meander into town to learn all about country living from the locals.
Now, mosey on over to your rocking chair and get ready for a story that’s about to be the talk of the ranch!
LIFE ON A WORKING RANCH
Suly Suly, partner. Welcome to Chestnut Ridge, a rustic world inspired by the wide open skies of the iconic American West. This picturesque world is perfect for waking up in the morning to look out at the big open countryside from the ranch of your dreams, whether that be a traditional cabin or a modern farmhouse.
Get the whole family involved! And by the whole family, we mean Horses, too! Sims will now welcome Horses into their families and care for every aspect of their lives. Each animal will provide a unique contribution to the ranch (even if it’s just to be adorable).
Sims will work hard and play harder, experiencing all aspects of a working ranch. Sims can experience mucking a Horse Bed, lending a hand on the ranch and more. From keeping all of your animals happy and clean to harvesting Prairie Grass for the Animal Feeder, Sims can delight in knowing that all of their hard work is worth it. When the work builds up, Sims can hire a Ranch Hand to help!
For your Sims that like to DIY, they can craft their own Nectar by stomping a variety of fruit… or potatoes… or even trash! The bottled Nectar can be consumed in multiple servings and it will have different effects. Sims can age it in Nectar Racks for more Simoleons.
BOND WITH ANIMALS
Sims can fill their ranch with animal friends to carve out a life together. Their Horses – including adorable Foals – are part of a Sim’s household and have lots of special interactions with both Sims and other Horses. Sims can shear the Mini Sheep and milk the Mini Goats for Simoleons, eventually inviting locals to come and see how adorable they are!
JOIN A THRIVING COMMUNITY
While living on a ranch has its moments of peace and solitude, Sims can saddle up and ride their Horse into town to check out the lively social scene. Your Sims can meet friends at the bar, blow off steam at the dance hall, or train at the equestrian park. Sims can even host or attend a Ranch Gathering with a cookout and dancing, or a Ranch Animal Day, where they can interact with the animals.
CREATE, BREED AND RAISE HORSES
We’ve heard and seen all of your requests for Horses, and we are elated to announce that players can now customize hoofed friends in Create a Sim, or get new Horses by rescuing, breeding or purchasing them. You can choose from real-world breeds, change the horse’s head shape, mane, tail, feathers, body mass, coat length and more!
The very best part – Foals can be born on your ranch! That’s right, players can have their Horses nuzzle under the stars to make the perfect little Foal, a combination of both of its parents…and they may even unlock a unique Trait. The joy of breeding and raising Foals on your Sim’s ranch is one you won’t want to miss. Each Horse has its own personality, and the Foal will learn both from the family and trainer!
Sims can explore by trotting their way down a long and winding trail or by going downtown to New Appaloosa, ride around Riders’ Glen, the Ranches’ Neighborhood. Be sure to check out Galloping Gulch, the National Park Neighborhood, which features plenty of scenic trails through the large rock formations as well as campfire spots and picnic areas. Your Sim may come across Dreadhorse Caverns where the adventurous can enter and try their luck at exploring!
Horses have four Skills: Temperament, Agility, Jumping, and Endurance. Horses develop Jumping Skill by practicing on Horse Jumps. They develop Agility by practicing on Horse Barrels. All of these skills apply to the competitions that take place at the Equestrian Center. Winning competitions results in Simoleons, rewards such as plaques for your walls and metal signs you can display on your big Ranch Sign. They culminate in the Ultimate Horse Championship!
SACRED HEALING CIRCLE
“Indigenous people have always had a deep, spiritual relationship with horses,” says Stacey Parshall Jensen, The Sims’ friend and sensitivity reader who collaborated on The Sims 4 Horse Ranch. “They’re a symbol of power. They provide healing and represent freedom and bravery to our Indigenous culture.”
Together with The Sims team, Stacey worked to co-create food, home items, and clothing that are represented in Horse Ranch, reflecting elements of Native American culture. To celebrate the launch of this pack, The Sims team is making a donation to Sacred Healing Circle, a 100% Indigenous founded and led organization working to support Indigenous communities through preserving traditional methodologies and practices, including the Native American Horse Preservation and Research Program. This program helps to preserve the Native American Horse, as well as protects the traditional and historical knowledge surrounding the horse and Indigenous People in the Americas.
Preorder The Sims 4Horse Ranch Expansion Pack now to start playing immediately when it launches on July 20, 2023 on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC via EA app for Windows, Origin™, Steam® and Epic Games Store. The Sims 4 has officially launched on the Epic Games Store as well, another download destination for this Expansion Pack.
