Starting a new game can be overwhelming, and that's why tutorials are a staple of all games. The Sims has its own tutorial family in the Newbies, who were introduced in The Sims 1, and were probably the very first Sims encountered by players. The Sims 1 wasn't the last players would see of the Newbies though, and the family have made appearances in all of The Sims games since that very first tutorial.
Bob and Betty Newbie guide the player through the basics of playing The Sims 1, from taking care of their needs, to relationship dynamics and landing a job. The family and tutorial proved to be very popular, in part because of the 1950s aesthetic of their home and because it was the first place where Simmers began experimenting with what The Sims was really all about.
The Importance of The Tutorial Family in The Sims
Bob and Betty Newbie have the distinction of being some of the only pre-made Sims to appear in all Sims games (and some of the console games), alongside Mortimer Goth, Bella Goth, Daniel Pleasant, The Grim Reaper, and Agnes Crumplebottom. Though they don't appear in The Sims 4 by default, they were made downloadable from The Sims 4 gallery by Sims developer Maxis in 2019 after the release of The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs.
The timeline of The Sims is out of order, with the official order being The Sims 3, The Sims, then The Sims 2, while The Sims 4 takes place in an entirely removed alternate universe. Because of this, the Newbies' ages jump dramatically between game installments, from Adults, to Teens, to Elder ghosts, and back to Young Adults. Players have seen the Newbies in different phases of their lives, and the original tutorial couple have become iconic in the community to the point that their absence was widely noticed in the initial launch of The Sims 4. Many accused a new couple, the Pancakes, of being a replacement for the Newbies.
The Sims 5 Has a Lot to Live Up To
The accusation levied towards the Pancakes isn't entirely unjustified. Bob Pancakes shares his name with Bob Newbie, while his wife Eliza Pancakes has a shortened version of the name Elizabeth, much like Betty Newbie. The Sims 4: High School Years promotion material showcased that the pair were friends as teenagers, just like Bob and Betty. The Pancakes are also considered a starter family to teach new players to play the game, and are natives to the original Sims 4 world of Willow Creek.
The popularity of the Newbies as stalwarts of The Sims franchise could mean their return in The Sims 5, if not as a tutorial family, then as one of the many playable pre-made family options. How the Newbies could appear in The Sims 5 depends on the game's placement on the series' timeline. They could appear as a married couple or, like in The Sims 3, appear as children or teenagers with their own parents and shine a light on the lore of their extended families.
One of the best things The Sims 5 could do is eliminate the other Sims who had been brought in as substitutes for the Newbies, such as the Pancakes and Alex Moyer, who is the current tutorial Sim. Another move that could bring the Newbies back into the spotlight would be to bring back their dog in The Sims 5 base game to diminish the need for a pets expansion.
The Sims 5 is in development.