The Sims 4's Controversial Marketplace Arrives on PS4 in Major Update for Console Players

EA has released the latest update for The Sims 4 on consoles, and it marks a fairly significant change with regards to community-made content.

Version 2.31 is available to download and install now on PS4, and the headline news is that it introduces the Marketplace to the console version of the popular free-to-play life sim.

The Marketplace is a relatively new addition even to the PC version. In a nutshell, it's the in-game store for content made by members of the Sims 4 community.

If you visit the Marketplace in the game, you'll be able to browse through Maker Packs and Kits. If you purchase one — using the new premium currency, Moola — you won't need to exit the game; it'll simply download and install, no restart required.

The aim is to make buying and using creator content more straightforward, but it's something that hasn't gone down very well with players.

A key part of all this is that Maker Packs and Kits are no longer purchasable from the PS Store itself; they've all been delisted, meaning the only way to access them now is via the in-game Marketplace.

To get anything in the Marketplace, you first need to buy Moola, the aforementioned currency. This can be bought in blocks of 200, 500, 1,000, 2,600, and 5,500, with prices ranging from $2.49/£2.29 to $49.99/£45.49.

This approach to community content has caused a stir among players and creators, who feel this is a worse solution for everyone except EA, which stands to make more money by forcing people through the Marketplace and buying Moola.

The plus side is that console players will now have access to more community-made items than ever, bringing it closer in line with the PC experience.

The update also make a wide range of bug fixes, which you can peruse in the full patch notes.

What are your thoughts on this new update for The Sims 4? Tell us in the comments section below.