The Sims Freeplay
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The Sims FreePlay mobile game gets augmented reality with Brilliant Backyards update

  • Posted byby Dean Takahashi
  • Updated
  • 1 min

Electronic Arts and its Maxis studio are adding augmented reality to the iOS version of The Sims FreePlay via a new update dubbed Brilliant Backyards.

The new AR multiplayer feature for iPhone and iPad uses Apple’s new ARKit 2, and the updated game is now available on the app store. Players can bring their Sims into the real world and share their experiences with a friend. AR is a hot new technology, and it is available on everything from smartphones to special glasses. Over time, the AR market is expected to hit tens of millions of users in the next few years.

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Written by

Dean Takahashi

Dean Takahashi is editorial director for GamesBeat. He has been a tech journalist since 1988, and he has covered games as a beat since 1996. He was lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat from 2008 to April 2025. Prior to that, he wrote for the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Herring, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Dallas Times-Herald. He is the author of two books, "Opening the Xbox" and "The Xbox 360 Uncloaked." He organizes the annual GamesBeat Next, GamesBeat Summit and GamesBeat Insider Series: Hollywood and Games conferences and is a frequent speaker at gaming and tech events. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.