The Sims™ FreePlay

-2.35
Bad
Price: Free
Ads: Yes
In App Purchases: Yes

iOS App Store
Google Play App Store

Temporal Dark PatternsTemporal Dark Patterns

This game has 32 reported Temporal Dark Patterns. There are 3 votes indicating the absence of a dark pattern.

-4.39

5 votes
Playing by Appointment -
5 / 0 votes
Being forced to play according to the game's schedule instead of yours.

5 votes
Daily Rewards -
5 / 0 votes
Encourages return visits every day and punishes you for missing a day.

5 votes
Grinding -
5 / 0 votes
Being required to perform repetitive and tedious tasks to advance.

5 votes
Infinite Treadmill -
5 / 0 votes
Impossible to win or complete the game.

5 votes
Wait To Play -
5 / 0 votes
In-game timers that make you arbitrarily wait for something.

4 votes
1 votes
Advertisements -
4 / 1 votes
Forced to watch ads or given rewards for watching ads.

3 votes
2 votes
Can't Pause or Save -
3 / 2 votes
The game does not allow you to stop playing whenever you want.

Monetary Dark PatternsMonetary Dark Patterns

This game has 29 reported Monetary Dark Patterns. There are 18 votes indicating the absence of a dark pattern.

-2.09

5 votes
Premium Currency -
5 / 0 votes
Exchange rate between real money and in-game currency disguises the real price of items.

5 votes
Artificial Scarcity -
5 / 0 votes
Limited time offers with unnecessary urgency.

5 votes
Pay to Skip -
5 / 0 votes
Spend money to avoid waiting for a timer to expire.

2 votes
Accidental Purchases -
2 / 0 votes
Making it easy to accidentally spend money with no confirmation or ability to undo or refund the action.

4 votes
Anchoring Tricks -
4 / 0 votes
Placing a cheap item next to an expensive item to make it look more affordable.

4 votes
1 votes
Gambling / Loot Boxes -
4 / 1 votes
Spending real money to play a game of chance for a reward.

2 votes
1 votes
Recurring Fee -
2 / 1 votes
Encourages players to play as much as possible to get their money's worth.

1 votes
3 votes
Pay to Win -
1 / 3 votes
A player can spend real money to purchase something that gives them an advantage in the game.

1 votes
4 votes
Power Creep -
1 / 4 votes
A permanently purchased item in the game becomes less valuable over time.

5 votes
Pay Wall -
0 / 5 votes
The game becomes impossible to continue playing without payment.

4 votes
Waste Aversion -
0 / 4 votes
Capped inventory forces you to destroy items or upgrade inventory. Also, having small amounts of left over premium currency.

Social Dark PatternsSocial Dark Patterns

This game has 7 reported Social Dark Patterns. There are 22 votes indicating the absence of a dark pattern.

1.24

4 votes
1 votes
Fear of Missing Out -
4 / 1 votes
If you stop playing you'll miss out on something or be left behind and unable to catch up.

3 votes
2 votes
Social Pyramid Scheme -
3 / 2 votes
You get a bonus for inviting your friends and then they have to invite their friends.

4 votes
Social Obligation / Guilds -
0 / 4 votes
To avoid letting down your friends, you are obligated to play when you don't want to.

4 votes
Friend Spam / Impersonation -
0 / 4 votes
The game sends spam to your contact list or social media account.

3 votes
Reciprocity -
0 / 3 votes
Feeling obligated to return a favor, share resources, trade an item, etc.

4 votes
Encourages Anti-Social Behavior -
0 / 4 votes
The game incentivizes players to lie, cheat, or backstab other players to get ahead.

4 votes
Competition -
0 / 4 votes
The game makes you compete against other players.

Psychological Dark PatternsPsychological Dark Patterns

This game has 18 reported Psychological Dark Patterns. There are 9 votes indicating the absence of a dark pattern.

-2.29

5 votes
Invested / Endowed Value -
5 / 0 votes
Having already spent time and money to improve your status in the game, it's difficult to throw it away.

4 votes
Badges / Endowed Progress -
4 / 0 votes
Reluctancy to abandon a partially completed goal, even one forced upon the player.

2 votes
Complete the Collection -
2 / 0 votes
The urge to collect all the items, achievements or secrets in a game.

5 votes
Variable Rewards -
5 / 0 votes
Unpredictable or random rewards are more addictive than a predictable schedule.

2 votes
2 votes
Aesthetic Manipulations -
2 / 2 votes
Trick questions or toying with emotions or our subconscious desires.

4 votes
Illusion of Control -
0 / 4 votes
The game cheats or hides information to make you think you're better than you actually are.

3 votes
Optimism and Frequency Biases -
0 / 3 votes
Overestimating the frequency of something because we’ve seen it recently or memorably.

App Store Ratings

iOS:  (4.50) with 550,506 votes.
Google Play:  (4.28) with 958,390 votes.



Recent Dark Pattern Reviews

Wait To Play reported on Aug 27, 2023
Amount of actions you can take is limited by an energy bar you can pay to get past
Playing by Appointment reported on Jun 28, 2023
The pregnancy system comes to mind. While not entirely appointment based, the limited time to complete the tasks, and the fact that tasks are on a timer, sometimes you can end up having to play at unfavorable times, like the middle of the night.
Daily Rewards reported on Jun 28, 2023
there is a daily reward system, as well as a reward streak system.
Advertisements reported on Jun 28, 2023
advertisements disappear once you've purchased something with real money.
Premium Currency reported on Jun 28, 2023
there is a levelling system in the real world currency shop. the more money you spend, the higher your 'vip level' gets, and the more 'vip perks' you unlock.
Pay to Win reported on Jun 28, 2023
the game is not competitive, but any actions take a long time. 'life points' (premium currency) can be used to speed actions up; a definite advantage over those who don't pay.
Invested / Endowed Value reported on Jun 28, 2023
there is a levelling system to the regular gameplay, but there is also a levelling system in the real world currency shop. the more money you spend, the higher your 'vip level' gets, and the more 'vip perks' you unlock.
Can't Pause or Save reported on Jun 28, 2023
this isn't entirely relevant, but its important to consider. this is a real time life simulator, in which a main gameplay aspect is managing the needs of your sims. their motives continue to decrease even if you aren't actively playing the game. whether you want to or not, you're always playing the game.
Wait To Play reported on Jun 28, 2023
thats basically the whole game; sending your sim to do something, having to wait between only a few seconds, to even a whole day or two for it to complete.
Pay to Skip reported on Jun 28, 2023
'life points' (premium currency) can be used to speed actions up. the main way to get 'life points' is to pay; any other method is rare and unreliable.


Report a Dark Pattern

Screenshot Play the Sophisticated Socialite Live Event, decorate your home with fashionable furniture, and unlock chic outfits for your Sims!

From the creators of The Sims series of best-selling simulation games comes a complete Sims experience on mobile! Whats your story? Create it with your Sims in real-time, customize their wardrobes and homes, and help them live out their dreams. Complete goals to earn Simoleons, expanding your Sim Town and picking up rewards along the way. Keep your Sims happy and watch them thrive as you help them live a fun and fulfilled life!

200 million downloads and counting!

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