What is The Sims Medieval?
The Sims Medieval is a 2011 spin-off of The Sims from EA. You build a kingdom with quests and Hero Sims, not with a free sandbox.
EA released the game for Windows and Mac. It came out on March 22, 2011 in North America, and on March 25 in Europe. Maxis Redwood Shores made it. An iOS version followed on September 22, 2011.
How the game works
At the start, you pick a Kingdom Ambition. That is the game’s name for the main goal of a kingdom. You then pick a quest, and a Hero Sim to play it. A Hero Sim has a profession, such as monarch, knight, or merchant.
Each profession gives two daily responsibilities. When a Hero Sim does them, the focus and the mood go up. A good focus helps the Sim do well in the quest. At the end of a quest, the game gives a rating. When you complete a Kingdom Ambition, you unlock new ones and a freeplay mode for that kingdom.
What can go wrong
The game has real dangers. Wikipedia lists low focus, plague, peasant revolts, wildlife, poisons, and duels. Sims can die. A quest can fail, and then a “Quest Failed” screen comes up.
You read this on the LifeSim blog. LifeSim is our game, and it is not a medieval game. We say where it fits near the end.
How is The Sims Medieval different from The Sims 3 and The Sims 4?
The Sims Medieval plays like a role-playing game with goals. The Sims 3 and The Sims 4 are open sandboxes with no set story.
| Point | The Sims Medieval | The Sims 3 and The Sims 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Quests, with a time limit and a rating | Open play, with goals you choose |
| Building | You change the inside of a building, not its basic shape | Full Build Mode |
| Who you play | One Hero Sim for each quest | A household |
| Engine | The Sims 3 engine, with a new lighting engine | Their own engines |
The other Sims keep living while you play a quest. This is like the story progression of The Sims 3. The ground also has hills and levels, unlike the mostly flat towns of The Sims 3.
Critics liked the humor and the role-playing. Wikipedia gives a Metacritic score of 77 for the PC version. Critics did not like that the game drops classic features, such as house design and watching Sims age. If those features matter most to you, read our list of games like The Sims.
What is in The Sims Medieval: Pirates and Nobles?
Pirates and Nobles is the add-on pack for The Sims Medieval. It came out on August 30, 2011 in North America.
Wikipedia lists the contents. The pack adds a new Kingdom Ambition, new traits and legendary traits, and new quests. It adds clothing, more than 140 objects, and new social interactions. One object is an interrogation chair.
The pack also adds treasure hunts with maps and shovels. It adds pets, pirate Sims, and the baby pit beast. The pit beast brings a new way for a Sim to die.
The pack got weaker reviews than the base game. Wikipedia gives it a Metacritic score of 67. EA also sold a deluxe edition with the base game and the pack.
Can you still buy The Sims Medieval in 2026?
No, not from an official digital store. EA removed The Sims Medieval from the EA app in May 2026, with no warning.
The EA app
Sims Community reported the removal on May 24, 2026. The EA store page now shows the game as “Not Available.” GamingBible says that the page points to The Sims 3 and The Sims 4 instead. None of the reports that we read quote a reason from EA.
Steam
The game is not on Steam either. The sources disagree on the date. GamingBible gives March 10, 2026. Sims Community first said the same, then corrected it to 2016. ComicBook also says 2016. We opened the old Steam address of the game, and Steam sent us to its home page.
If you already own it
Owners can still play. Sims Community and ComicBook both say so. GamingBible adds that the game stays in your library. If it is not installed, you can download it again.
If you do not own it
Look for a physical copy. GamingBible saw pre-owned copies at about £5 on third-party marketplaces. TheGamer, on OpenCritic, saw digital keys from resellers at €45 or more. In Game News warns that a disc may need a disc drive and patches for a modern system.
We did not test any reseller. Check that a seller is legitimate before you pay.
Does The Sims Medieval work on Windows 10, Windows 11, and Mac?
On a Mac, the answer is no for current versions. Wikipedia says the game does not run on macOS Catalina or later.
Mac
If your Mac runs Catalina or a newer version, you cannot play The Sims Medieval on it. For a Sims game on a new Mac, read how to play The Sims 4 on Mac.
Windows 10 and Windows 11
We could not confirm a clear answer for Windows. The original 2011 requirements do not list Windows 10 or Windows 11. ComicBook says the game can be “tricky to run on modern PCs.”
We could not open the EA forum threads about launch problems, so we do not repeat their fixes. If the game does not start, contact EA Help with proof that you own the game.
The system requirements
BeyondSims published the official minimum requirements on February 1, 2011. The table shows them.
| System | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Windows XP | 2.0 GHz Pentium 4, 1 GB RAM, 128 MB video card with Pixel Shader 2.0, DirectX 9.0c, Service Pack 2 |
| Windows Vista or 7 | 2.4 GHz Pentium 4, 1.5 GB RAM, 128 MB video card with Pixel Shader 2.0 |
| Mac OS X | 10.5.8 Leopard, Intel Core Duo, 2 GB RAM, 256 MB video card (no PowerPC Macs) |
| Disk space | 5.3 GB, plus 1 GB for custom content and saves |
BeyondSims notes that a later update raised the video memory to 256 MB. Compare it with the Sims 4 system requirements.
Is there a Sims Medieval 2 or a medieval pack for The Sims 4?
No. We found no Sims Medieval 2, and no announcement of one. The Sims 4 has no full medieval pack, but two packs come close.
The Sims 4 Castle Estate Kit
The Castle Estate Kit came out on January 18, 2024. Steam lists it at $4.99. It adds parts for castle-style homes. The parts include gothic arches, stonework, parapets, stained glass, arrow slits, a portcullis gate, and a gargoyle. It is a build kit, with no quests. See our guide to Sims 4 kits for the other kits.
The Sims 4 Royalty and Legacy
Royalty and Legacy is a Sims 4 expansion pack from 2026. The EA page lists Dynasties, Nobility, Scandals, swords, and family trees. It adds a world called Ondarion. The EA page does not call the setting medieval. Read our Royalty and Legacy guide for the details.
Neither pack brings back the quests or the Hero Sims. For news about the next main game, see what we know about The Sims 5.
What games are like The Sims Medieval?
The closest is Medieval Dynasty for one life in a village. Crusader Kings III fits if you want nobles and plots. Going Medieval fits if you want to build a settlement.
Medieval Dynasty
You start as a farmer or a hunter and build a village. You can find a partner, start a family, and pass the village to your heir. Steam lists it at $34.99, for Windows 10 and 11. The reviews are Very Positive. You can play alone or with up to four friends.
Crusader Kings III
You guide a noble family through the Middle Ages. When your ruler dies, you play the heir. Traits and lifestyle choices shape each ruler. Steam lists it at $49.99, for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is a strategy game, so it has more maps and wars than daily life.
Going Medieval
Going Medieval is a colony game about survivors who build a settlement after a plague. It left Early Access on March 17, 2026. Steam lists it at $29.99, for Windows. You manage a group of people, not one hero.
Where LifeSim fits
LifeSim, our game, fits only a little. It is not medieval. The map is the real Earth in 3D, today, and you pick any city. There are no castles, knights, or quests.
What it shares is one life, a day at a time. The people are AI characters with jobs, homes, and friends. You talk to them in your own words, and they remember you. It is free, with no ads and nothing to buy. Read what LifeSim is to decide. For a medieval setting, the three games above win.
Questions
When did The Sims Medieval come out?
On March 22, 2011 in North America, for Windows and Mac.
Is The Sims Medieval on Steam?
No. Steam no longer sells it. Owners of an old Steam copy can still play it.
Is The Sims Medieval free?
No. It is no longer for sale in official digital stores. We know of no time when it was free. For a Sims game that is free, read is The Sims 4 free?
Do Sims age in The Sims Medieval?
No. Critics noted that the game drops the aging of Sims from the main series.
Can you play The Sims Medieval on a new Mac?
No. The game does not run on macOS Catalina or later.
Is The Sims Medieval worth playing?
Yes, if you own it and like quests. Critics gave it good reviews for its humor. If you want a free sandbox, a main Sims game fits better.
Are there other life sims to try?
Yes. See our guide to life sim games.
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Sources
- Wikipedia: The Sims Medieval
- Sims Community: EA Quietly Retires The Sims Medieval (Jovan, May 24, 2026)
- GamingBible: The Sims Medieval delisted from digital stores (Olly Smith, May 24, 2026)
- ComicBook: EA quietly delisted a 15-year-old classic (Amanda Kay Oaks, May 26, 2026)
- OpenCritic / TheGamer: EA got rid of the last way to buy The Sims Medieval (May 25, 2026)
- In Game News: The Sims Medieval delisted on the EA app (May 25, 2026)
- BeyondSims: The Sims Medieval official system requirements (February 1, 2011)
- The Sims 4 Castle Estate Kit on Steam
- EA: The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy Expansion Pack
- Medieval Dynasty on Steam
- Crusader Kings III on Steam
- Going Medieval on Steam