Eleven expansion packs were released for the 2009 life simulation video game The Sims 3, the third major title in The Sims series. Of the eleven expansion packs, seven were developed by Maxis Redwood Shores, while the other four were developed by EA Salt Lake. All expansion packs were published by Electronic Arts. Expansion packs tend to focus on major new features, with the addition of many new objects, worlds, and game features geared towards the pack's major theme. The first expansion pack, World Adventures, was released on November 18, 2009. The last expansion pack, Into the Future, was released on October 22, 2013.

World Adventures

The Sims 3: World Adventures is the first expansion pack for The Sims 3, announced on August 3, 2009, and released in North America on November 18, 2009.

The pack focuses on traveling to various areas in a manner similar to previous expansions The Sims: Vacation and The Sims 2: Bon Voyage. Sims are able to travel to fictional locations set in France, China, and Egypt. At these locations, Sims are able to go on adventures to earn rewards. Sims are able to level up in new skills: photography, martial arts, and nectar making. The expansion also added a new life state, the mummy, which can be added to a household through several means. A separate standalone version was also developed for mobile devices.

Gameplay The main feature in World Adventures is the ability to travel to three new destinations. Sims can only stay at destinations for limited durations based on their combined visa levels. Having more visa points unlocks new levels. Having a higher visa level, in addition to lifetime rewards and certificates of partnership with specific destinations, will extend the duration Sims can stay in a destination, from three days to a maximum of 18 days for a single Sim, and up to 72 days for a household. Visa level 3 Sims can purchase a vacation home in all 3 destinations.

Destinations Sims can travel to three fictional destinations set in real-life countries. In these destinations, Sims can meet with the locals, form new friendships, and go on adventures. Each destination has a unique skill associated with it. The three destinations are:

Al Simhara, Egypt – This destination is the main location for the new Photography skill. This destination also features many tombs that can be explored, and is the home of the new mummy life state. Champs Les Sims, France – Sims can learn the Nectar Making skill, based on winemaking, enabling Sims to brew Nectar, which give Sims positive moodlets when consumed. Shang Simla, China – Sims can learn the new Martial Arts skill, which works in tandem with the existing Athletic skill to improve a Sim's fighting ability.

Adventures In each destination, there is an adventure board outside the base camp. Sims can pick Adventures to fulfill, similar to opportunities in the base game. Adventures can consist of a simple goal such as collecting a certain material and returning it to the quest giver, or a more complex one, such as exploring one of the expansion's many tombs. Sims earn visa points, ancient coins, and Simoleons from completing these tasks.

Every destination also has a general store for purchasing adventuring supplies, and souvenirs. New items include dried food, shower-in-a-can, and a variety of different quality tents. These new items are required for sleeping and surviving in dungeons when fulfilling Adventures.

Dungeons Inside dungeons, Sims will encounter traps, puzzles and the new mummy creature. Most dungeons are fairly linear though some are larger than others and feature more items. Ancient coins and relics can also be found in dungeons. These collectibles can be sold, or displayed as a collection. Many relics can be sold for large amounts of Simoleons, making it a viable way to make money in the game.

Skills Martial Arts – Learned in Shang Simla. This skill lets Sims become powerful fighters, and is helpful for defeating mummies in Al Simhara. The skill also enables Sims to meditate, giving a meditative focus moodlet. This moodlet boosts skill gains and increase the quality of crafted goods. Sims who master meditation can learn to teleport.

Nectar Making – Learned in Champs Les Sims. Nectar can be aged in a cellar with nectar racks, and can be highly profitable if the bottles are aged enough, as well as if they were made with high quality fruits/grapes. In Champs Les Sims, special grapes meant for making nectar can be harvested or purchased to plant back home, but any fruit in the game can be used to make nectar.

Photography – Primarily in Al Simhara. While Sims can buy a cheap camera in any location, there are two high end camera models that are only available in Al Simhara's general store. Sims can capture subjects with these cameras, and photos can be sold for small amounts of money.

Development Producer Lyndsay Pearson said that real-world locations were a draw for their players, and that users had been creating famous buildings on the online Exchange; the pack represented an extension of that desire. Pearson also stated that there were innovations present in the pack, that could not have been achieved in Sims titles before.

Music The score to World Adventures was composed by Steve Jablonsky, who had previously composed the score to The Sims 3. He recorded his score with a 35-piece string and woodwind ensemble at Eastwest Studios in Hollywood.

Nelly Furtado, Pixie Lott, Stefanie Heinzmann, Matt & Kim, The Young Punx and other artists contributed songs in Simlish for the pack.

Reception Early reception of World Adventures was positive, earning a Metacritic rating of 81.

GamePro argued the pack's only bad feature was being able to make players lose several hours in the addictive gameplay. IGNs Steve Butts criticized the adventure-based gameplay and the difficulty of having family vacations, however, he concluded, "I hope World Adventures sets the pattern for future Sims expansions."

World Adventures was listed as seventh in a list of the top ten selling PC games (expansion pack) of 2009, according to NPD sales charts. The Sims 3 was listed as the highest selling game of 2009.

Ambitions

The Sims 3: Ambitions is the second expansion pack for The Sims 3, released in North America on June 1, 2010. Ambitions introduces new professions that can be actively controlled by the player, unlike the careers in the base game. A variety of new skills are also added alongside the ability to register as self employed for skills. The expansion also added a new world, Twinbrook. A separate standalone version was also developed for mobile devices.

Gameplay Professions are the main focus of Ambitions, and allows players to actively control a sim at their job. The new active careers in the pack can have your Sim become an Architect, a Doctor, a Firefighter, a Ghost Hunter, a Private Investigator, or a Stylist. Self employed professions were also added, which utilize base game skills or the new skills added by the expansion pack, as well as other expansions' skills, regardless if they came out before or after Ambitions. This can ensure your Sim's skills if they profit off them, can be considered as Employment in the game. The new skills added are Sculpture and Inventing. A new life state was also added, the SimBot, a robot that can be created by a sim with a high Inventing skill, or can be purchased with Lifetime Happiness points.

Development Associate producer Grant Rodiek explained that career-based gameplay was something that the team had always wanted to do. "We always strive to do something new that hasn't been seen in The Sims before." Rodiek explained the main focus of an expansion pack relied on three elements: community feedback, what the development team wants to do and software limitations.

Reception Anthony Gallegos of IGN have said that "it doesn't reinvent the series but it's much more substantial than many other Sims expansions." GameSpots Kevin VanOrd on the other hand, called it "a thoughtful and delightful expansion, [that is] full of wit and character." Dan Stapleton of PC Gamer gave the game an 85 out of 100, praising its new additions and careers. Tracy Erickson of Pocket Gamer reviewed the iPhone version of the game, giving it 7 out of 10 and praising the customization system, addition of babies and easiness when it comes to cooking.

Late Night

The Sims 3: Late Night is the third expansion pack for The Sims 3, announced on July 20, 2010, and released in North America on October 26, 2010. and is similar to The Sims 2: Nightlife and The Sims: Hot Date, as well as incorporating elements from The Sims: Superstar and The Urbz: Sims in the City.

The pack introduces a brand new city neighborhood named Bridgeport, loosely based on New York City, which is divided into an urban downtown area, a less dense uptown area, and a hilly, affluent suburb.

Gameplay Late Night adds a celebrity system, based on five stars representing a Sim's level of fame. Celebrity status can be gained through a variety of methods, including through careers added by the expansion, such as the film career, and present in the base game.

In Late Night, Sims can go out to the downtown area of the brand new world, Bridgeport. Bridgeport includes high rises and penthouse lots. The downtown area includes many hangouts and bars, including several new community lot types added with the expansion. Some community lots require certain celebrity levels to enter.

The expansion also added a new life state, vampires. Vampires abilities include increased skill learning speed, the ability to read other Sims' minds to find out their traits and relationship status, and the ability to run faster than ordinary Sims. Vampires are also included and expanded on in Supernatural, which added the ability to create a vampire in Create-a-Sim.

Sims can also learn the Mixology skill, which allows them to mix drinks at the new professional bar object. These professional bars are available in Buy Mode. Mixologists can also moonlight at Bars, with new types of Bars in the expansion (e.g. danceclub, dive bar) that are in Bridgeport, and can be built in pre-existing neighbourhoods.

Generations

The Sims 3: Generations is the fourth expansion pack for The Sims 3, announced on April 5, 2011, and released in North America on May 31, 2011.

Gameplay Generations added new gameplay options for each sim life stage and interactions centered on family gameplay, such as sleepovers, proms, bachelor/bachelorette parties, after-school activities, and home movies.

The pack added the option to add body hair to males in Create-a-Sim, a first for the series. Two new traits come with Generations, Nurturing and Rebellious.

Soundtrack All Time Low contributed their song "Time Bomb" from their album Dirty Work, which was featured in the pack's announcement trailer and in-game radio. Portugal. The Man have also contributed the song "Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs)" from their sixth studio album In The Mountain In The Cloud.

Pets

The Sims 3: Pets is the fifth expansion pack for The Sims 3 on Microsoft Windows and macOS, as well as a standalone title on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo 3DS. It was released on all platforms in North America on October 18, 2011. The pack re-introduces pets such as cats and dogs. The PC/Mac expansion pack additionally adds horses, a first for the series. It serves as the spiritual successor to The Sims 2: Pets and The Sims: Unleashed. Unexpectedly, the expansion pack received publicity in May 2026 when it was revealed that former Scottish National Party Chief Executive Peter Murrell bought it with embezzled funds.

Development