Are Stuff Packs dead?

That's what I heard. I think they're replacing it with the awful kits.

I think right now we are seeing a lull in content due to the pandemic. A lot of what has come out seems to be things they had been working on prior and things have only started going towards a new normal. Kits started out as smaller ideas to add more content in-between for things like this but also for console players who can not rely on cc for new clothes and build items. Since these things take less time it's easier for them to do rather than any other pack bc stuff packs have a bit of everything including gameplay that takes a while to work through the kinks. At the moment I think the team is dedicated to game and expansions, as well as free base game updates and personally, I think that's the best right now. I'd rather these base game updates than focusing on stuff packs.

It's been what 17 months since the last stuff pack at this point the kits killed stuff packs.

I would be glad to see a really good Stuff Pack again.

I think with them beginning production on Sims 5, and moving a lot of the Sims 4 staff over to the new game (nothing is confirmed i don't think but there's been enough job postings and leaks by now to assume that's where the staff that said bye-bye on twitter went) that the people that were apart of the stuff pack production team probably got moved to game and expansion teams to fill in the empty roles. So I'd guess stuff packs are gone for good, but we'll probably still get game and expansion packs.

Kits are probably the new stuff packs now because they don't need a dedicated team to make sure a gameplay aspect is working. They can just contract outsourced employees for each kit and pump them out cheap, fast, and easy. So it's a way for Sims 4 to still keep getting content, even with lowered staff and expansions happening less often.

I don't think kits themselves killed off stuff packs. I think Sims 5 is slowing down production for Sims 4, and kits is a response to that.

When Maxis first started making kits they stated on Twitter that kits weren’t going to affect pack releases. They also said kits were designed to fill content gaps. I’m not sure if fewer packs last year (and possibly this year but it’s too soon to say) were the result of the pandemic, the Sims 5 development or something else (or a combination of things) but I think kits are supposed to be the solution rather than the cause.

I also think it’s too early to declare stuff packs dead, there was a 17 month gap between My First Pet Stuff and Moschino Stuff and they weren’t dead then (also fwiw the gurus have said they aren’t dead).

Some people used to complain about stuff packs, I used to love them, even the earlier ones. They always had a new play item, build/buy, CAS and a few new hairstyles. I always thought they were very much worth the $10. I hope we haven’t seen the last of them. I like kits too, but not nearly as much as stuff packs.

I loved stuff packs and I love kits. The recent kits have given us CAS and BB items of a quality that we never got with any stuff pack. I would love to see a stuff pack with that kind of quality items in it, who wouldn't. Twice as many items as we're getting now at the quality level they're producing now is a dream come true, with gameplay as an added bonus. I would love that, but I think the kits have effectively killed off the stuff packs.

Kits might have been an easier and faster way to keep producing content during the pandemic. Knowing that simmers were trapped at home and would likely be playing the game much more than usual, they needed a way to deliver new content faster to keep simmers happy. With staff stuck at home too and it being harder to get packs assembled the kits were a compromise that fit the moment. They've proven at least reasonably successful, so even though the community wants stuff packs back will Maxis listen or will they stick with a new model that works for them? I feel like the kits have been enough of success that Maxis isn't going to be in any hurry to bring back the stuff packs. I wish they would, but I'm not holding my breath waiting.

The latest 3 stuff packs were really good (especially Paranormal) so I'd be sad to see them gone after seeing their true potential. If SPs started with the same quality they would have been much more appreciated from the get-go.

Honestly my biggest gripe with kits is the lack of new hairstyles, I liked that they added 3 more to the base game with the release of Incheon Arrivals and Fashion Street but they haven't done much of that since (just randomly releasing a single hairstyle in a patch or making some pack ones base game). SPs add new hairstyles as well as new clothing and stuff so I appreciate them more for that alone. :P

Kits have probably worked better for them during the pandemic and with their current staff of people. They can make them in a shorter time and with gameplay kits now gone (they removed the category from the main menu) they don't have to focus on gameplay with them either.

We might see stuff packs again someday but I think it will be difficult with their current release schedule which seems to consist of 4 seasons in a year with base game updates, SDX, 1 pack and 1-2 kits. The only way they would be able to do that would probably be 1 stuff pack with several kits during a season and that might not be a popular decision.

My guess is that they have Lost Astral in full production, and other games like The Sims 5 in pre-production. The Sims 4 will be around for several more years and will finance their investments into their new studios.

I'm hoping that we will hear or see something in 2023.