While the Sims series could be argued to have begun with 1989's SimCity, the franchise fans know today, The Sims, began in 2000 with the first game of the same name. With the fourth game now nine years old and The Sims 5 being developed under the title Project Rene, players are wondering what will be next for the series. While Maxis still has not given much information on what to expect, the confirmed multiplayer options have players already planning what they could create in the game when working together.
While some of TheSims 5's new build features have brought up concerns among fans that the new edition will be too different from the earlier installments, many are excited for what has been seen so far through play tests and released footage. What has been seen so far seems to confirm that the game will have options for Sims to live in apartments but still has yet to confirm if this new title will be open world, a feature that was noticeably absent from The Sims 4 and lead to many fans skipping that game in the series. Even with 12 expansion packs released over the course of its run, The Sims 4 still left some players feeling stifled as it had removed some of the customization elements that had been present in Sims 3, such as the color wheel. But even with so few details revealed, the confirmed multiplayer option has fans excited for what they could accomplish in the life sim.
Options for Building Together
While TheSims Mobile gave players some limited ability to connect with each other in-game for parties, one thing notably missing from the franchise is the way that players create their worlds on their own. While the gallery gives fans the ability to connect with the larger community and allows them to trade builds and households with each other, no Sims game to date has allowed direct creation with other players.
The promise of multiplayer options will give fans the opportunity to collaborate directly on building projects, similar to how players do in games like Minecraft. While gamers certainly aren't looking for a direct ripoff of Mojang's signature title, Minecraft is one of the longest-running games for a reason. The Sims 5 could benefit greatly by taking a few notes from one of the best building games of all time.
Although the two games share many similarities, an advantage players have had in Minecraft is the ability to work together to complete unbelievably large builds. The sandbox game is known for its vast community's consistently impressive creations, both in scale and in detail. The possible option for something like this is what has many fans so eager for the new installment. Community building through sharing mods and posting creations to the gallery is one thing, but the ability to work directly alongside other players and create incredible structures together could be the next step forward for the Sims franchise.
Despite fan outcry, pleas for specific additions to the game, such as cars and the return of Bonehilda, have gone unanswered by the Maxis team. The upcoming new addition could give players some of the new elements they had been asking for, as well as the old features they've missed. The return of the aforementioned color wheel and the addition of further options to customize furniture paired with the multiplayer aspects of the game could give players more freedom and power than ever to create their own world in a series already well-known for letting fans play god.
The Sims 5 is in development.
