Sims 4 high school expansion officially revealed

The Sims 4 has officially confirmed that the next full expansion will be themed around high school life.

Titled High School Years, the pack will heavily expand on content for teen Sims including school life and after-school activities, as they prepare to transition to adulthood. It's out on the usual platforms on Thursday, July 28.

Right now, players don't really have any control over teenagers when they go off to school. That is set to change at Copperdale High, with players able to follow their Sims as they attend classes, visit the cafeteria, and face detention.

At school, teens can build lifelong friendships, ask their crush out, pull pranks, try to skip class, and take up a range of extracurricular activities such as cheerleading, chess, computer club, and American football.

Sims are also able to gather and hang out with friends at a few new venues away from Copperdale High. The first is ThrifTea, a bubble tea shop and thrift store combo, with teens able to chat over boba and browse through clothes on racks.

Then there's a large theme park, filled with a number of attractions including a ferris wheel, haunted house, and tunnel of love. And there's Plumbite Pier, which seems to be an ideal spot for a date.

Fashion appears to play a large part in this expansion, with young Sims going through phases of self-discovery and self-expression. The clothing items are designed by Depop sellers, and teens have the option of earning some cash on the side by selling their best outfits through an in-game app, becoming a 'Simfluencer'.

Teen Sims can use a laptop and read a book in bed, have pillow fights, and even sneak out of their bedroom window at night. Experiencing puberty, prom, and graduation will all be included in the pack, too.

A free update will introduce body hair and add the ability for Sims to groom and trim their body hair's natural growth over time.

Players who either pre-order or buy the expansion by September 8 will get a few additional in-game items that seem perfect for young Sims looking to start streaming. These include a wireless speaker, a gaming chair, and LED panels.

The past several weeks have seen the release of a werewolves-themed Game Pack and two new Kits – one centred on Parisian-styled clothing and one coming with a range of outdoor-themed items for young kids to enjoy in their backyard.

Customisable pronouns were added too, after being heavily requested by the community.

High School Years is the first part of the game's new 'Rise & Shine' roadmap, which runs until the end of September. Also expected over the next few months are a style Kit, a build Kit, and a base game update.

The Sims 4 is available on PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.