Sims 3 Expansion Packs in Order: All 11, and the Best

How many expansion packs does The Sims 3 have?

The Sims 3 has 11 expansion packs. The first, World Adventures, came out in November 2009. The last, Into the Future, came out in October 2013. The game also has 9 stuff packs, which add items but no new gameplay.

EA released The Sims 3 in June 2009. It still sells the game and its packs today, on the EA app and on Steam. The base game and each pack cost $19.99 on both stores, on the day we checked. Prices change in sales, so check the store before you buy.

We took the dates from Wikipedia and from GamingScan. Both lists give the same date for each pack. The dates are for North America.

What are the Sims 3 expansion packs in order?

These are all 11 expansion packs, from the first to the last:

Order	Pack	Fecha de lanzamiento	Qué añade
1	World Adventures	November 18, 2009	Travel to Egypt, France, and China. Photography, martial arts, and nectar making.
2	Ambitions	June 1, 2010	Careers that you play in person, self-employment, SimBots, and the world Twinbrook.
3	Late Night	October 26, 2010	Nightlife in Bridgeport, a fame system for celebrities, vampires, and mixology.
4	Generaciones	May 31, 2011	Activities for each life stage, such as sleepovers, proms, and home movies.
5	Pets	October 18, 2011	Cats and dogs that you control, horses on PC and Mac, and Appaloosa Plains.
6	Showtime	March 6, 2012	Singer, acrobat, and magician careers, tours with SimPort, and Starlight Shores.
7	Supernatural	September 4, 2012	Witches, werewolves, and other supernatural Sims, alchemy, and Moonlight Falls.
8	Estaciones	November 13, 2012	Seasons and weather in every world, holidays, and festival lots.
9	University Life	March 5, 2013	University with majors and aptitude tests, and the Jocks, Nerds, and Rebels groups.
10	Island Paradise	June 25, 2013	The world Isla Paradiso, houseboats, scuba diving, resorts, and mermaids.
11	Into the Future	October 22, 2013	Time travel to Oasis Landing, Plumbots, hoverboards, and future descendants.

Some packs share ideas with packs of The Sims 4. For example, Into the Future has Plumbots, and Supernatural has witches and werewolves. To compare the two games, read our guide to Los Sims 3 vs Los Sims 4.

What are the Sims 3 stuff packs?

Stuff packs add clothes, furniture, and decor, but not new systems. GamingScan lists these 9 stuff packs:

High-End Loft Stuff
Fast Lane Stuff
Outdoor Living Stuff
Town Life Stuff
Master Suite Stuff
Katy Perry's Sweet Treats
Diesel Stuff
70s, 80s, and 90s Stuff
Movie Stuff

Wikipedia dates Katy Perry's Sweet Treats to June 2012. We could not confirm the exact dates of the other stuff packs on a page that we opened, so we do not list them.

Players often say that the stuff packs are not worth the full price. In Steam threads such as "Which Sims 3 DLC are worth it?", players tell new buyers to get expansion packs first.

Which Sims 3 expansion packs are the best?

Generations, Seasons, and Late Night are the packs that players rank highest. Snooty Sims puts them in that order at the top of its ranking. Its full list, from best to worst, is:

Generaciones
Estaciones
Late Night
Supernatural
Pets
Ambitions
University Life
World Adventures
Island Paradise
Into the Future
Showtime

Steam players give a similar answer. In the threads that we read, Ambitions, Seasons, and Generations get the most votes, and many players also name Supernatural.

How to pick your first pack

For family stories, get Generations.
For weather and holidays in every world, get Seasons.
To follow your Sim to work, get Ambitions.
For a city, fame, and vampires, get Late Night.
For magic and werewolves, get Supernatural.

Do you want a challenge to test your packs? Our generador de desafío legado is made for The Sims 4, but its rules work in The Sims 3 too.

Can you still buy The Sims 3 and its packs?

Yes. The EA page for The Sims 3 sells the base game through the EA app for Windows and Mac, the Origin for Mac store, and Steam. Each expansion pack and each stuff pack is a separate purchase.

The EA page lists these add-ons on the day we checked:

Each expansion pack and each stuff pack: $19.99.
A Worlds Bundle: $19.99.
Roaring Heights and Dragon Valley, as Gold Editions: $34.99 each.

Steam lists 19 add-ons at $19.99 each. The "Add all DLC to Cart" total is $379.81, before any sale. The game is also part of EA Play on Steam.

Is there a Sims 3 complete collection?

We found no official bundle with the base game and every pack. Steam has sold "The Sims 3 Packs Collection", with all 11 expansion packs and 8 stuff packs. SimsCommunity says that it did not include Katy Perry's Sweet Treats or the base game. Look for it in the Steam sales.

What about the Sims 3 Store?

The Sims 3 Store sold extra items for SimPoints. EA still has a Sims 3 Store page. We found no official notice that it closed, and no official date for a closure. One blog gives a closure date with no source, so we do not repeat it. Steam also warns that EA can retire online features with 30 days of notice.

Does The Sims 3 work on Windows 11 and Mac?

Mostly yes, on Windows. On Mac, you need the 64-bit version. The details are below.

Ventanas

EA said that it had "no current plans to update the Windows PC version", says SimsCommunity. Windows stays on version 1.69. In a Steam thread about Windows 11, some players say that the game runs well. Others had launch problems. One reply from March 2025 fixed the problem: run Sims3Launcher in Windows 8 compatibility mode.

Mac

The first Mac version is 32-bit. It does not run on macOS Catalina or later, says Wikipedia. Maxis released "The Sims 3 (64-Bit & Metal)" on October 28, 2020. Owners who had the game on Origin got it free. SimsCommunity says that it is a new install, and that your progress and content carry over. The EA page also tells Mac players to update to the latest launcher.

Consolas

The Sims 3 came to PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo 3DS, says Wikipedia. The expansion packs in this guide are for PC and Mac. You can find your saves on PC with our guide to the Ubicación del archivo de guardado de Los Sims 3.

Are all the Sims 3 expansion packs worth it?

Not for most players. All 11 packs cost far more than the base game. Buy one or two packs that match how you play. Wait for a sale for the rest.

Read the Steam threads before you buy. In "Worth buying all dlc" and "Should i buy all dlc?", players ask the same question, and most answers name only a few packs.

If you want a newer game, The Sims 4 has its own long list of packs. See our Paquetes de expansión de Los Sims 4 list and our Selector de packs de Los Sims 4. If you want something new, read our list of juegos parecidos a Los Sims.

Can you play your Sims 3 family somewhere else?

Yes. We make LifeSim, a free life sim in the browser and on iPhone. It can import a Sims 3 household from your Library, Exports, or SavedSims folder, or from a full save. Follow the steps on the Sims 3 import page.

In LifeSim, your family lives in a real city on a 3D map of Earth. The people there talk to you in your own words and remember you. The pets, the house, and the mod traits of your family stay behind.

LifeSim does not replace the Sims 3 packs. It has no Build mode and no packs to buy. If you love to build houses and collect packs, stay with The Sims 3. If you want to see your Sims live on in a new kind of world, try the import.

The Sims 3 expansion packs, in order

How many expansion packs does The Sims 3 have?

What are the Sims 3 expansion packs in order?

What are the Sims 3 stuff packs?

Which Sims 3 expansion packs are the best?

How to pick your first pack

Can you still buy The Sims 3 and its packs?

Is there a Sims 3 complete collection?

What about the Sims 3 Store?

Does The Sims 3 work on Windows 11 and Mac?

Ventanas

Mac

Consolas

Are all the Sims 3 expansion packs worth it?

Can you play your Sims 3 family somewhere else?

Más guías de Los Sims

Fuentes

Base de datos de Los Sims 4

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