The Sims 4: Outdoor Retreat

The Sims 4 Outdoor Retreat was developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts, released in 2015. It is a game pack that introduces a destination-focused getaway and outdoor survival mechanics to the base game, letting Sims leave their everyday lives for a camping-style experience in a new natural world.

The pack adds the new world of Granite Falls with pine forests, campsites and hiking trails, tents and camping gear, campfires and stargazing interactions, and a herbalism skill that allows Sims to collect plants, craft potions and identify edible or poisonous flora. Gameplay includes outdoor activities such as fishing, horseshoes, roasting marshmallows, and exploring bramble patches where Sims can encounter insects, wildlife and a hermit NPC, providing a structured but relaxed loop of exploration and skill-building.

Promotion for Outdoor Retreat followed EA and Maxis’ usual channels with store listings, trailers, social media announcements and short previews that highlighted Granite Falls, camping gear and the herbalism mechanics; community creators and livestreams were used to demonstrate campsite builds, outdoor roleplay and the new skill-based interactions, positioning the pack as a nostalgic, nature-focused diversion from suburban life.

Reception was mixed to positive, with many players praising the pack’s atmosphere, the novelty of a travel destination keyed to outdoor leisure and the herbalism mechanic for adding purposeful exploration, while some criticism targeted limited long-term depth, repetitive outdoor tasks and a relatively small scope compared with larger expansions. Overall Outdoor Retreat appealed to players who enjoy destination-based content, nature-themed roleplay and low-key exploratory gameplay.