The Sims 4 February 2026 update patch notes – New stairs, family tree updates, improved tags, and more

In preparation for the Royalty & Legacy expansion pack, The Sims 4 has a free base game update packed with new features and bug fixes. We don’t get updates very often, so when we do, they’re always quite exciting.

Not all new content and changes are officially announced or highlighted in The Sims 4, so it can sometimes be tricky to discern what’s new and improved. Here’s everything included in the Feb. 3 update in The Sims 4.

The Sims 4 February 2026 base game update patch notes

Modify railings and stairs with new settings

New stairs have arrived, bringing with them more customization than ever, thanks to the new modification tools. You can now alter whether stair railings appear on one side, both sides, or on neither side. There’s also a draggable bar you can move around to change how long the railing is. Stairs that flare out at the bottom are an option now, too.

Updated family tree

Family trees are getting a much-needed update to better reflect family dynamics. With this update, it’s easier to discern relationships between Sims, with many new types added, like half-siblings and step-parents. This feature has even more additions if you get the Royalty & Legacy expansion pack, which allows you to forge and research your family tree.

New and improved CAS tags

CAS tags have some new features and improvements. The Texture category for hair has been improved, allowing you to better filter to find exactly what you’re looking for, especially if you want to search for two different types of texture at once. Under the Style category, an Africana theme was also added.

New nails

A fresh set of nails featuring lots of muted, shiny swatches was added in this update. The base game doesn’t have a whole lot of nails to choose from, and certainly none like these, so it’s certainly a welcome addition.

New event

A fresh event has arrived, and it comes with plenty of new prizes to claim. Some of the rewards featured in this update include the Master of Grudges Aspiration and the Capp Library Bookcase furniture item.

Mod warnings

The patch notes for this update also come with a serious warning for all players who use mods. The family tree changes also affect genealogy and relationship data, which means they’re fundamentally rewriting some core systems. Because of this, it’s extra important that you take out all mods prior to the update and don’t reinstall them until creators have updated or cleared them. If you don’t, you may run into some serious issues, like missing relatives or the game refusing to launch.

Bug fixes

This patch also comes packed with loads of bug fixes, including one that’s supposed to repair the biggest issue players have been facing recently, which is the dreaded black photo issue. Here’s what’s been repaired in this update.

• Fixed an issue causing photos to turn black.
• Fixed an issue that was causing the creation of Aliens and Mermaids to lead to the game crashing.
• Fixed an issue that could sometimes prevent room type assignments in Build Mode.
• Fixed a UI issue in CAS that was preventing elements from displaying for turn-ons, turn-offs, the like button, and the dislike button.
• Fixed an issue where entering and then exiting Build Mode during Scenarios would cause the UI to vanish or the game to become unresponsive.
• Upgraded vacuums will now work in the Off the Grid Lot type.
• Some nails that were causing issues, like making the Sim appear shiny, have been fixed.

We’ve listed all the biggest bug fixes here, but if you want to check out even more, you may wish to review the Feb. 3 Laundry List. And if you’re eager for the next expansion pack to arrive, consider learning when Royalty & Legacy will be released and everything you need to know about Ondarion.

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Grand Theft Auto 6 is now just a little over nine months away, for real this time, and it’s still on track for its current release date.

That info comes straight after GTA publisher Take-Two’s earnings call today, which touted the upcoming fiscal year that will be “led by the November 19th release of Grand Theft Auto 6 with Rockstar’s launch marketing set to begin this summer,” in a statement to IGN.

And so, we now have some confirmation that the next time we’ll hear or see more about GTA 6, at least publicly and barring any more leaks, is this summer. And further confidence that the game won’t suffer from further delays.

As for recent rumors that GTA 6 will be foregoing physical editions in an effort to avoid more leaks, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told Variety “that’s not the plan.” So, get those disc drives ready on your PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

For now, we wait until the summer for some hands-on previews and probably a new trailer or two, including the first official look at gameplay. It could happen at Summer Game Fest or another seasonal gaming event, but it’s likely that Rockstar will release the information on their own along with media impressions.

Meanwhile, Take-Two also announced that GTA 5 has sold a whopping 225 million copies, which means GTA 6 has sky-high expectations to try and recreate that. It may not be possible, but if any game could do it, it’s likely this one.

GTA 6 is due to launch for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on Nov. 19, 2026, so start your countdowns now, if you somehow haven’t already.

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