The Sims 4: Discover University

The Discover University expansion pack for The Sims 4 was developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts, released in 2019. It arrived as a major expansion that added higher education as a new life stage experience, requiring the base game to play and integrating with existing Sims systems.

The pack introduces two distinct university campuses — the historic University of Britechester and the modern Foxbury Institute — where Sims can enrol in degree programs, attend classes, live in dorms or off-campus housing, and participate in campus life. New gameplay systems include class attendance and grades, term papers and presentations, majors that influence career progression, extracurricular clubs and organizations, student pride events, and a range of campus-themed build and buy items that let players craft dorms, lecture halls and student hangouts.

Promotion for Discover University leveraged Electronic Arts’ and Maxis’ marketing channels, including cinematic and gameplay trailers, developer livestreams, social media reveals and creator showcases that highlighted campus life, the new academic mechanics and college-themed objects and clothing. Marketing emphasised both the roleplay possibilities of campus living and the mechanical depth of classes, grades and extracurriculars, with community streams and creator content used to demonstrate degree progression and campus activities.

Reception was mixed to positive, with praise directed at the thematic depth, the variety of campus interactions and the new ways for players to tell coming‑of‑age stories; many players enjoyed the social opportunities and degree-driven progression. Criticism focused on some repetitive class mechanics, constraints in how university life integrated with the open-ended sandbox and performance issues for some users, but overall the expansion became a popular option for players seeking structured life events and roleplay focused on young adult Sims.