The Ultimate Guide to Unlocking Everything in The Sims: Cheat Codes Revealed!

Want to skip the grind and instantly access every item, skill, and career in The Sims? You’ve come to the right place! As a long-time Sims aficionado, I’m here to give you the lowdown on the “unlock everything” cheat, along with tips, tricks, and answers to all your burning questions.

The Golden Ticket: The Unlock Everything Cheat Code

The primary cheat code that gets you closest to “unlocking everything” in The Sims 4 (and most of the franchise) is a combination of two commands: testingcheats true followed by bb.ignoregameplayunlocksentitlement.

Here’s how it works step-by-step:

1. Open the Cheat Console: During gameplay, press Ctrl + Shift + C (on PC) or Cmd + Shift + C (on Mac). On consoles (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S), press all four shoulder buttons simultaneously. This will bring up a text entry box at the top of your screen.
2. Enable Testing Cheats: Type testingcheats true and press Enter. You should see a message confirming that cheats are enabled. This is absolutely crucial; without it, other cheat codes won’t work.
3. Unlock Hidden Items: Type bb.ignoregameplayunlocksentitlement and press Enter. This command unlocks all career rewards and hidden build/buy items, meaning anything that you would normally have to achieve a certain level in a career to unlock is now available.
4. Enjoy Your Spoils: Head into Build/Buy mode. You’ll now have access to a wealth of new items, including those previously locked behind career progression!

While this doesn’t literally unlock everything (some things require further cheats or actions, as we’ll discuss), it’s the closest you’ll get to instant gratification.

Caveats and Limitations

It’s important to note that bb.ignoregameplayunlocksentitlement doesn’t unlock everything in the game itself. It mainly targets Build/Buy items locked behind career progression. It does not instantly max out skills, unlock aspiration rewards, add money, or grant access to expansion pack content you don’t own. For those things, you’ll need additional cheats. Furthermore, some objects still require certain DLC to be present.

Beyond the Basics: Other Useful Cheat Codes

While bb.ignoregameplayunlocksentitlement is powerful, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Here are some other essential cheat codes to truly enhance your Sims experience:

• Money Cheats:
  • rosebud: Adds 1,000 Simoleons.
  • kaching: Adds 1,000 Simoleons.
  • motherlode: Adds 50,000 Simoleons.
  • Money [Amount]: Replace “[Amount]” with a specific number to set your household’s funds. For example, Money 500000 sets your household funds to 500,000 Simoleons.
• Skill Cheats:
  • stats.setskilllevel [Skill Name] [Level]: This is the key to mastering any skill. Replace “[Skill Name]” with the skill you want to modify (e.g., MajorWriting, MajorGuitar, etc.) and “[Level]” with the desired skill level (1-10). For example, stats.setskilllevel Major_Writing 10 maxes out your Sim’s Writing skill.
• Aspiration Reward Cheats:
  • sims.givesatisfactionpoints [Amount]: Gives your selected Sim the specified amount of Satisfaction Points. Use these points to purchase reward traits. For example, sims.givesatisfactionpoints 5000 gives your Sim 5,000 Satisfaction Points.
  • bucks.unlock_perk [Perk Name] true: Unlocks specific perks in businesses. Replace “[Perk Name]” with the specific perk code. This is useful for businesses and restaurants.
• Gameplay Modifying Cheats
  • FreeRealEstate [on/off]: Enter this cheat in the neighborhood/world view to ignore the lot cost when moving a household.
  • bb.showhiddenobjects: Show debug/hidden objects in build mode. Note that you will also want to type “bb.showliveeditobjects”
  • bb.moveobjects: Allows you to place any object anywhere, ignoring normal object placement rules. This is very useful for creative builds!

A Word of Caution

Using cheat codes can significantly alter your gameplay experience. While it can be fun to experiment and unlock everything, it can also diminish the sense of accomplishment that comes from playing the game legitimately. Use cheats responsibly and consider creating a separate save file specifically for experimenting with cheats.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some of the most common questions I get about unlocking everything in The Sims:

1. Why isn’t the cheat console opening?

Ensure you’re pressing the correct key combination (Ctrl + Shift + C on PC, Cmd + Shift + C on Mac, or all four shoulder buttons on consoles) during gameplay. If you’re in the main menu, the cheat console won’t appear.

2. Why is “testingcheats true” not working?

Double-check your spelling. It’s a common mistake. Also, make sure you’re entering the cheat exactly as it’s written, with a space between “testingcheats” and “true.”

3. Do these cheats work on all versions of The Sims?

While the core cheat codes like “testingcheats true” and money cheats have been consistent across most Sims games, some specific cheats, especially those related to skills and careers, may vary slightly depending on the game version and expansion packs. This article focuses on The Sims 4.

4. Will using cheats break my game?

While rare, using cheats can sometimes cause unexpected glitches or bugs. This is why it’s always recommended to save your game before using cheats, especially when using more complex commands.

5. Can I undo a cheat?

Some cheats, like adding money, are irreversible. Others, like enabling testing cheats, can be toggled off by typing testingcheats false in the cheat console. Skill levels cannot be directly reduced using cheats.

6. Are there mods that unlock everything?

Yes, there are numerous mods available that can unlock everything in The Sims, often with more comprehensive features than cheat codes. However, be cautious when downloading mods from unofficial sources, as they may contain malware or be incompatible with your game. Always download mods from reputable sites.

7. Do these cheats disable achievements/trophies?

Generally, enabling cheats does disable achievements and trophies for that specific save file. If you want to earn achievements, avoid using cheats in your main game.

8. Can I use these cheats on a Mac?

Yes, the cheat codes work on both PC and Mac versions of The Sims. The only difference is the key combination to open the cheat console (Cmd + Shift + C on Mac).

9. What are the skill names for the skill cheat?

Skill names often follow a pattern of “Major[Skill Name]”. Some common examples include: MajorWriting, MajorGuitar, MajorLogic, MajorGardening, MajorFitness, MajorPainting, and MajorCooking. You can find a comprehensive list of skill names online.

10. How do I unlock all aspirations?

There’s no single cheat code to unlock all aspirations. However, you can use the sims.givesatisfactionpoints cheat to earn enough Satisfaction Points to purchase the “Change Aspiration” reward from the Rewards Store.

11. Can I unlock all careers with a cheat?

No, there isn’t a direct cheat to instantly unlock all careers and their associated levels. You can use skill cheats to quickly advance your Sim’s skills, making them eligible for promotions, but you’ll still need to go through the career progression manually.

12. I’m still confused about how to use the skill cheat. Can you give me another example?

Let’s say you want to max out your Sim’s Charisma skill. You would first open the cheat console (Ctrl+Shift+C), type testingcheats true, press Enter, and then type stats.setskilllevel Major_Charisma 10, press Enter. Your Sim will now have level 10 Charisma!

13. Where can I find more information about The Sims and gaming in general?

There are tons of great resources out there! For example, you might find valuable insights at the Games Learning Society (GamesLearningSociety.org), which explores the educational potential of games.

14. How do I find the names of unlockable business perks for the bucks.unlock_perk cheat?

Finding perk names often involves looking through game files or consulting online resources dedicated to Sims cheats. Some popular perks include things like ChefStation_FasterCooking for restaurants. Search online forums or dedicated Sims wiki pages to find the exact perk names.

15. Are there cheats to control a Sim’s needs?

Yes! You can use the cheat FillMotive motive_[NeedName] to fill a Sim’s needs. For example, typing FillMotive motive_hunger will fill the Sim’s hunger meter. You can substitute other needs like motive_energy, motive_fun, motive_social, and motive_hygiene as well. Alternatively, shift-clicking on a Sim after enabling testing cheats gives you the option to “Make Happy,” which fills all motives.

So there you have it – your comprehensive guide to unlocking everything (or close to it!) in The Sims using cheat codes. Happy Simming!