Graham and Ryan show off Sims 4 gameplay; a premium option is revealed.

Over the weekend Maxis released a video showcasing The Sims 4 demo that was shown to press at this year's E3 (check out our retrospective here). Narrated by Sims 4 producers Graham Nardone and Ryan Vaughan, you can check out almost 20 minutes of gameplay, from the Create-a-Sim (CAS) mode through a very strange house party. The demo is from a one-month-old beta build of the game, so there may be some bugs or changes from what is shown prior to release.

Here's a few tidbits we didn't catch during the E3 demo:

• At 13:23 the introductory box to the gallery discusses viewing and posting comments about other player's creations, as well as mentioning a follow mode. Origin friends will automatically follow you and vice versa unless you opt out in your Origin profile settings by choosing "No One Can See."
• At 13:25 you can see a reference to a premium subscription. It reads: "The Sims 4 Premium: Save on new packs with early access and exclusive items. Become a Premium member to get early access to 3 new packs, with exclusive items. Your Sims can throw a spooky costume party, camp in the great outdoors, and toast to the new year in style.

Pre-order options for The Sims 4, which will release on September 2, 2014, are:

• PC Download - Limited Edition for $60: Includes "Life of the Party" digital content
• PC Download - Digital Deluxe Edition for $70: Origin exclusive version includes "Life of the Party" and "Up All Night" digital content, and The Sims 4 digital soundtrack
• Retail Box - Limited Edition for $60: Includes "Life of the Party" digital content
• Retail Box - Premium Edition for $80: Includes "Life of the Party", "Up All Night" and "Awesome Animal Hats" digital content, as well as The Sims 4 digital soundtrack. Also features the "Creator's Guide" hardcover book, which is a guide to becoming a master creator and includes Sims 4 artwork.

Ann "Cyliena" Hosler, Managing Editor