The Sims Freeplay Joyous Japan Update Schedule [July/August 2021]

Presented by EA GameChangers

Brace yourselves for another huge Sims Freeplay update: Joyous Japan.

Capture the culture of minimalist wabi-sabi style!

Here are all the details from the official blog post along with prize images. If you’d like to see these in more detail you can watch my video here.

“Sul Sul,

In the latest update of The Sims FreePlay, bring the natural world into your Sim’s homes with traditional Japanese interior rewards. Find your Zen and combine contemporary minimalist furniture, décor, and build buy items to create a high-end sanctuary complete with tranquil and artistic architectural style. Wabi-Sabi’s contemporary minimalism style embraces the natural fibers of the world and finds beauty in imperfection and flaws. The aesthetic style is best recognized as a mixture of woods, industrial textures, and stone and was prevalent in Japanese culture starting from the 1500s.

Introducing the ‘SimDex’!

Simmers, are there ever times that you wonder what to do next in our game? Well, wonder no more! Behind the scenes we’ve been hard at work making some exciting changes to the way our quests, hobbies, careers, professions, and buildings are surfaced in the game, so you can spend more time doing the things you love with your Sims! With over nine years of incredible content buried deep within The Sims FreePlay, we’re excited to reveal the changes we’ve made to the ‘Active Tasks’ menu which now includes the addition of two new tabs – the ‘Progress’ and ‘SimDex’ tabs.

The new ‘SimDex’ tab gives a snapshot of ALL non-live event content within The Sims FreePlay. Quests, Hobbies, Careers, and everything in between are listed in a series of ‘Level Buckets’. These buckets show you what you can complete at that Player Level. Interacting with anything inside of a Level Bucket will give you information on HOW to unlock that quest or feature that you’ve always wanted to have! We’ve also added a handy ‘Visit Location’ button to some items in the SimDex to help you find your way faster!

Furthermore, you’ll now also earn ‘Progress Points’ whenever you complete an item in the SimDex! Collect enough points to earn awesome new prizes, just for playing the game! Note that you’ll automatically be awarded Progress Points for any content you’ve already completed.

The ‘Progress’ tab gives you a holistic view of how much of the game you have completed, and how many Progress Points you’ve earned from each feature! If you ever forget what anything means, tap on the handy info button in either the ‘SimDex’ or ‘Progress’ tabs!

SimChase Events

Launching our update is SimChase Season 31: Samurai Showdown! Compete in this nine-day exciting gameshow as your Sim races against rival, Yousuke Yamachan, to earn Japanese-influenced interior rewards to refresh your Sims’ home. Enjoy the new bonsai tree workstation with animations for Sims to shape and prune the leaves perfectly, an indoor firepit for Sims to kneel and eat sushi, samurai swords display, kimono outfits, and more!

In our second SimChase for the update, Season 32: Park Pitfall, earn traditional Japanese rewards never before seen in FreePlay! Beat your rival Lily Pond to earn rewards like a deer scare, lanterns, bamboo fencing, and more. Drink Macha tea or propose to a Sim in the new outdoor gazebo, admire fish in a koi pond, even decorate your backyard with Japanese maple trees and a tori arbor.

Read our SimChase FAQ here.

‘Joyous Japan’ Live Event

Starting 5 August, the ‘Joyous Japan’ live event begins! The aim of this event is to collect enough resources from the Arts and Crafts Stations (found in the ‘Event’ tab of the Home Store or your inventory) to unlock all the items in this event but be quick – this event is only live for 10 days.

As you craft your way through the event, you’ll work towards unlocking a traditional double-story Japanese-inspired sanctuary to relax in find your Zen! The template home beautifully showcases unique spaces that are a fusion of traditional oriental design and wabi-sabi styles. Milestone prizes also include wooden flooring, cherry blossom wallpaper, stone kitchen set, pottery wheel, and much more, so your Sims will truly feel as if they’re on vacation in Japan.

Visible on the new grand prize house lot, you’ll notice a brand-new flat roof type! Thicker than the standard flat thick roofs currently in the game, the new roof is a modified version that adds thickness and slight overhang and can also be customized in various styles. Once you unlock this by completing the event, it can be applied to any home lot or apartment!

Plus, enjoy the rerun of the ‘Holiday High Rise’ live event! Claim the grand prize to gain access to the Holiday Condo location at the Sea Voyage in SimTown. Everything your Sims need for a dream holiday getaway!

Influence Island Events

Take a break on our remote beach, soak up the sun, and while you’re there, why not try and convince the other Sims to join your clan? You have 10 days to convert seven Sims to ‘Clan Mates’ to win the Grand Prize in the latest Season 14: Wabi-Sabi Bed & Bath. Along the way, earn prizes to complete a contemporary minimalist bedroom and bathroom, complete with Japanese outdoor ‘Ofuro’ wooden spa, bamboo furniture, pendant lighting, rug, ottoman, female and male outfits, and much more.

Plus, don’t miss Influence Island Season 15: New York Apartment 2.0 for even more industrial living décor in all-new colour variants inspired by the ‘Loft Living’ live event! Earn sophisticated, spacious loft décor to transform your Sims bedroom into an understated apartment inspired by stylish city living.

Read our Influence Island FAQ here!

Home Store Categories – Support Posts

Have you noticed the new categories being surfaced in the ‘Home Store’, lately? While you’re in Build Mode, you’ll now see a new option to access ‘Support Posts’ to make your multistory creations even more architecturally designed.

If you haven’t unlocked this feature, it’ll be locked/greyed out, but with clear instructions on the requirements and path you’ll need to take to access the feature. Complete all ‘Quests in Queue’ in the Active Tasks Menu including, Level 17 ‘Multi-Story Renovation’ then, finish:

Level 15 ‘DIY Homes: Peaceful Patio and ‘DIY HOMES: Lovey-Dovey Balcony’ Discovery Quest from Level 17.”

The dates for these events are as follows:-

Name	Length	Start Date	End Date
Influence Island Season 14: Wabi-Sabi Bedroom & Bathroom	10 days	27 July	9 August
SimChase Season 31: Samurai Shodown	9 days	27 July	7 August
Paperboy Double Rewards*	4 days	30 July	3 August
Joyous Japan Live Event	10 days	5 August	18 August
HANS On! Quest – Player Favourite	14 days	9 August	22 August
Maternity Pack 22	9 days	9 August	17 August
SimChase Season 32: Park Pitfall	7 days	16 August	25 August
Holiday High Rise Live Event	10 days	19 August	30 August
Influence Island Season 15: New York Loft 2.0	10 days	24 August	5 September
SimChase Season 15: Bedroom Bedlam	7 days	29 August	5 September
Boutique Long Hair Hobby Event	7 days	29 August	5 September
Paperboy Double Rewards*	4 days	30 August	3 September