Is The Sims Mobile still playable?
No. EA closed the servers of The Sims Mobile on January 20, 2026. After that date, nobody can play the game.
The game needs an internet connection. The Sixth Axis reports that it cannot run without EA servers, unless EA brings it back. The stores also removed the game in October 2025. A new player could not install it.
This post gives the dates, the reasons that the press reports, and the Sims games that you can still play on a phone. You read it on the LifeSim blog. We say where LifeSim does not replace a Sims game.
What was the timeline of the shutdown?
The closing took about three months. The table shows the dates that the sources give.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| March 2018 | The Sims Mobile launched (The Sixth Axis). |
| October 2025 | The last content update came. The game left the App Store and Google Play. Mobilegamer.biz gives October 21 as the date of the removal. |
| January 6, 2026 | All Build Mode and Create A Sim items unlocked for every player, at any level. |
| January 20, 2026, 1:59 PM UTC | The servers closed. The game stopped. |
The notice said that purchases made before October 20, 2025 still worked until the shutdown. Events ran until the end.
Why did EA close The Sims Mobile?
We found no reason from EA. The notice that Sims Community quotes gives no reason. The EA message that Mobilegamer.biz quotes only thanks the players.
Mobilegamer.biz gives its own explanation. It cites AppMagic estimates. The estimates put the revenue at about $150,000 each month, and the downloads at about 300,000 each month, over the last six months. It also says that EA meant the game to replace The Sims FreePlay, and that EA never moved the players over. It says that FreePlay still earns more.
These are the estimates and the opinion of one outlet. They are not an EA statement. Treat them as a possible reason, not as a fact.
What happened to the progress, the purchases, and the money?
The game kept its saves on the servers. When the servers closed, the saved data became unavailable. The notice says this in clear words.
The notice also said that EA does not refund leftover currency. The team told players to spend currency and tickets before January 6, 2026. The January 6 unlock made all Build Mode and Create A Sim items free, so that players could finish their plans.
We found no statement about a refund for older purchases. If you paid real money and want to ask, use the order history on your store account and the EA help center. We did not test that process.
Which Sims game can you still play on a phone?
The Sims FreePlay
The Sims FreePlay is the answer. The App Store lists it as free to download. It has optional in-app purchases from $0.99 to $19.99. It also has ads and loot boxes.
The App Store lists these facts. You grow a town called SimTown. You customize up to 34 Sims. You design homes, and you follow Sims through careers and hobbies. The game needs iOS or iPadOS 15.0 or later, and an internet connection. The size is 2.6 GB. The age rating is 13+.
The newest version that we saw is 117.1.280231. It adds a medieval update named Tale of Knights, with castles, dragons, and a Season Pass. The EA page for FreePlay is current too. It lists a Build Mode and Home Store refresh in an FAQ dated August 24, 2026.
We could not open the Google Play page, so we did not verify the Android listing. Check Google Play yourself.
The Sims 4
The Sims 4 is not a phone game. The Steam page lists Windows requirements only. The base game is free on Steam, and you need an EA account and the EA app. If you want the Sims on a computer, read is The Sims 4 free?
We found no phone version of The Sims 4. A player who wants a Sims game on a phone has FreePlay.
What other life sims work on a phone?
BitLife
BitLife is a text life simulator. It is not a Sims game, because you do not build houses. The App Store lists it as free to play, with in-app purchases. The age rating is 18+. See is BitLife free? for the prices, and games like BitLife for more choices.
LifeSim
LifeSim runs in a browser, so it also runs on a phone browser. It is free to start. The Terms describe paid subscriptions and Lifebits, a virtual currency. You live one life in a real city, and you talk to the people there.
LifeSim does not replace The Sims Mobile. It has no Create A Sim and no Build Mode. You cannot decorate a house. Choose LifeSim for conversation and for a life that continues. Choose FreePlay for a town, houses, and a family.
For a longer list of games that are like the Sims, read games like The Sims.
Can a game close like this again?
Yes. The Sims Mobile is an example of a risk of every game that needs a server. When the owner closes the server, the game ends. The player cannot stop it.
Ask three questions before you invest time in a phone game. Does it need an internet connection? Does it keep the save on a server? Does the owner publish a plan for the end of the service? FreePlay needs a connection, according to its App Store listing. That means FreePlay has the same type of risk. We found no announcement of a closing date for FreePlay.
A single-player game that runs on your own device has less of this risk. The Paralives FAQ says that Paralives does not need an internet connection to play. See is Paralives worth it? for that game.
What is the difference between a delisting and a shutdown?
A delisting removes the game from the store. A new player cannot find it or install it. A player who already has the game can keep playing. This is what happened in October 2025.
A shutdown closes the servers. Nobody can play, even with the app on the phone. This is what happened on January 20, 2026.
The two steps are separate. The gap between them gave players about three months. In that time, EA also removed the in-app purchases, according to Mobilegamer.biz. The final update gave unlimited energy to all players. Use this rule: when a phone game leaves the store, plan for the end of the game.
What can a former Sims Mobile player do now?
You have four choices.
- Start The Sims FreePlay. It is a different game, so your Sims Mobile progress does not carry over. We found no tool to move it.
- Play The Sims 4 on a computer. The base game is free on Steam. Packs cost money.
- Play a text life sim on your phone, such as BitLife.
- Play LifeSim in a browser, for a life with conversation.
None of these games is a copy of The Sims Mobile. Pick the one that matches what you liked. If you liked the houses, pick The Sims 4 or FreePlay. If you liked the stories, pick BitLife or LifeSim.
Questions
Is The Sims Mobile shutting down?
It already closed. The servers stopped on January 20, 2026.
Can I still download The Sims Mobile?
No. The stores removed it in October 2025. Players who had the app could re-download it until the shutdown date.
Can I play The Sims Mobile offline?
No. The game needed EA servers, and the saves were on those servers.
Is The Sims FreePlay shutting down too?
We found no announcement. The EA page for FreePlay still lists updates. Plans can change.
Will The Sims Mobile come back?
We found no plan from EA. The Sixth Axis only says that EA could bring it back.