This might seem like good news at first glance. As a result of EA's update, mods for The Sims 4 must be free from the very beginning, and the Early Access pay model must be scrapped. Early Access mods typically meant that users could donate to a creator's Patreon to access various mods before they became open to the public. The update to policy also means that the Early Access mods will not be allowed or supported. Additionally, every user must be able to access the mods free of charge, regardless of whether they donate or not.

When it comes to passive advertisements and donations, these must be limited to the mod distribution website, and cannot be featured within the mod itself. We won't hear you, but you'll have fun! Get all the podcast episodes here. 30 mins, funny, and you can even play along at home by shouting out your suggestions. It's brilliant, and that's not just a view we hold as the people that make it. Get your ears wrapped around VG247's Best Games Ever Podcast. The next update to policy, and the one which is leaving a lot of creators concerned, is that 'mods must be non-commercial and distributed free-of-charge.' EA continue to clarify by stating that mods cannot be sold, licenses, or rented, nor can they contain features 'that support monetary transactions of any type.' That said, mod developers can 'recoup their development costs via passive advertisements and donations.' The policy changes detail that creators must not promote their mods 'in a way that suggests they are endorsed by or affiliated with The Sims, Maxis, or Electronic Arts.' Creators cannot use any of the games branding in their content when promoting mods, but they can state that the mod is obviously for The Sims 4, or a relevant expansion pack. However, EA has also laid down some new rules for the creators of custom content in The Sims 4, and understandably, the policy changes have led to panic and concern amongst players and creators. It also explained to readers how to go about reenabling their mods after they were automatically disabled following the most recent update to the game. In the post, EA acknowledges how mods are an important part of the gameplay experience for most of The Sims 4 community, and it supports this. Check out the trailer for The Sims 4's latest expansion pack, High School Years. On Thursday, July 21, EA published a post regarding some policy changes concerning mods and custom content in The Sims 4.

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