Used to identify the game, unaltered. The Sims 3 wordmark, trademark of its owner, from the publisher's Steam store listing

The Sims 3

Catalogue entry · not reviewed · store data read 30 August 2026

The Sims 3: Create the perfect world with full customization at your fingertips. Refine personalities and help fulfill destinies.

Simulation

Player score

8.6/10

34,337 reviews

Released: 2009
Developer: Maxis
Platforms: 10 systems
Critics: 86
Steam Deck: unsupported
Download: Not stated

We have not written a full review of this game.This is a catalogue entry: everything below comes from a source we can link, checked on a stated date. There is no score and no verdict here, because we only publish those after a reviewer has played the game and written it up properly. Our team may well have played this one. Until someone writes the review, we are not going to imply a verdict we have not put our name to.

What is The Sims 3?

The Sims 3: Create the perfect world with full customization at your fingertips. Refine personalities and help fulfill destinies.

Description as published by the developer on its own store page, read 30 August 2026. It is marketing copy, not our assessment.

The record

Catalogue facts
First released	2 June 2009
Developer	Maxis, EA Mobile, The Sims Studio
Publisher	Electronic Arts
Platforms	Nintendo 3DS, iOS, Android, iPad, Android Tablet, PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS
Genres	Simulation
Languages	17 supported

Source. Catalogue facts from Wikidata Q185482, seeded 30 August 2026. Store data from Steam, read 30 August 2026.

How was The Sims 3 received?

Players86%positive of 34,337 · Very Positive

Metacritic86critic aggregate, PC

Method. Player figures are Steam's own totals for the PC version, read 30 August 2026. The Metacritic score is the one Steam publishes on its store page and can lag the site itself. Metacritic page. Neither is our opinion. We have not published a review of this game.

What does it support?

Technical support
Capability	Support
Controller	Not stated
Cloud saves	No
Cross-platform play	No
Mod support	No official workshop
Online play	Single-player only
In-game purchases	No
Steam Deck	unsupported
Download size	Not stated
Add-on content	19 DLC listed
Age gate	None

Method. Read from the publisher's Steam listing on 30 August 2026. Describes the PC version. Console versions differ.

What does it cost?

$19.99

Steam price in US dollars, read 30 August 2026. Prices move hourly and vary by region. Check the current price.

Problems players report

We read the 300 most recent negative Steam reviews of The Sims 3 on 30 August 2026 and counted what they mention. These are complaints, not confirmed defects: we have not reproduced any of them, and a review describes one person's machine. What the counts tell you is which problems more than one person ran into.

Will not launch or install39 of 300 (13%)
By the way, there is no way that they aren't aware of the fact that this game doesn't launch anymore, so by leaving this game available for sale on Steam, they are willfully scamming people out of money.
Steam review, 7 July 2026 · 82 hours played · 135 readers marked it helpful
As of the writing of this review, the game wont launch.
Steam review, 12 November 2025 · 533 hours played · 96 readers marked it helpful
Crashes and freezes35 of 300 (12%)
Now, right off the bat, if you try to launch this game and it immediately crashes even after downloading the ".net" it requests.
Steam review, 21 December 2025 · 3 hours played · 91 readers marked it helpful
That being said, needing to download 4 external programs just to get this to launch and not crash after an hour of gameplay is actually absurd.
Steam review, 31 July 2026 · 710 hours played · 17 readers marked it helpful

A further 18 reviews call the game buggy or broken without saying how, which is why they are counted separately rather than assigned to a theme. Counted by keyword across review text, so a review discussing two problems is counted under both. Read the reviews yourself.

Games like The Sims 3

24 games overlap with The Sims 3 on the tags Steam players applied to it, on genre, and on theme. The closest are RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum, The Sims 4 and SPORE Galactic Adventures.

All 24 games like The Sims 3

Common questions about The Sims 3

What platforms is The Sims 3 on?

The Sims 3 is available on Nintendo 3DS, iOS, Android, iPad, Android Tablet, PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS. It first released in 2009.

How much does The Sims 3 cost?

$19.99 on Steam in the United States, read on 30 August 2026. Prices move often and vary by region, so check the store before buying.

Do players recommend The Sims 3?

86% of 34,337 Steam reviews are positive, which Steam rates Very Positive. That is players rating it, not our review. We have not published a review of this game.

What is the Metacritic score for The Sims 3?

86 out of 100 for the PC version, as published on the game's own Steam store page. Steam can lag Metacritic by a few points.

Does The Sims 3 work on Steam Deck?

Valve rates The Sims 3 as unsupported on the Steam Deck, from its own testing.

Who made The Sims 3?

The Sims 3 was developed by Maxis, EA Mobile, The Sims Studio and published by Electronic Arts.