Highlights
- The Sims 4's recent DLC releases have received mixed reviews, with players placing more value on the content depth and base game enhancement of new packs.
- There is a rising sense of missing excitement in The Sims 4 community, particularly in regards to the lack of significant changes in the career aspect of the game since 2014.
- The upcoming DLC for The Sims 4, rumored to involve land ownership and passive income avenues, has the potential to reinvent the dynamics and could be a starting point for The Sims 5 to improve on essential features like careers.
The Sims franchise has prided itself on its realistic simulator elements over the years, and as the series' ecosystem continues to evolve through DLCs, gamers are looking to see just how much Maxis' flagship title improves. So far in 2023, The Sims 4 has rolled out two new expansion packs (Horse Ranch and Growing Together), each receiving starkly different receptions for their varying content depth and base game enhancement. Judging from the emerging trend, it seems like players are placing more value on what a new pack has to offer to decide whether it is worth the customary price tag EA slaps on its additional content. Few areas in The Sims are more vital to the franchise's gameplay than careers, and The Sims 4's upcoming DLC homeowner capabilities further the case for the dynamic to get a shake-up in The Sims 5.
The life simulator gaming scene demands constant attention from developers, as gamers can easily fall into a routine in their playthroughs, causing titles to lose some of their shine. To combat this familiarity factor, Maxis has consistently provided The Sims player base with fresh content through expansion and stuff packs, even introducing Scenarios for themed experiences. However, these updates are hardly more than touches around the edges, and there's been a rising sense of a missing X-factor in The Sims 4's community.
Some point to the fact that the career scenery has barely changed since the Get to Work expansion back in 2014, and with rumors of the next EP generating excitement among fans, The Sims 5 has some work to do with its most essential feature.
Why Careers Need a Major Touch-Up in The Sims 5
Passive Income Avenues Could Greatly Improve The Sims 5
A common question on the lips of The Sims 4 players is how to make money quickly. In The Sims 4's current ecosystem, players can earn royalties from artwork or gain some investment bonuses as perks from the Fabulously Wealthy aspiration. However, apart from these avenues, there's hardly any way to make money aside from the conventional 9-5 of The Sims 4's careers. If the rumors are true, the upcoming DLC has the potential to shake up the status quo in this regard, and it could be the starting point to reinvent the existing dynamics.
Although nothing is official yet, the "One Neighborly Expansion Pack" promotional tagline has generated interest in the fan base, and it reportedly offers players the chance to become landowners. This development is massive for the franchise since options like leasing out apartments like the Landgraab Family offer a more stable source of passive income. The Sims 5 could implement and expand on this dynamic, potentially providing short-term leases for housing NPCs, similar to the worlds of Sulani and Selvadorada.
The Sims 5 Needs a Career Focus to Thrive
While the land-owning dynamic presents an interesting option for Maxis to explore, much of The Sims 4's existing careers also need a revamp in The Sims 5. Before the Get to Work expansion, there weren't enough unique activities for each occupation. Get to Work changed all that by taking doctors to hospitals and detectives to police stations, allowing players to complete tasks in the workplace and advance quickly in their chosen professions. Additionally, the Retail Stores in The Sims 4' Magnolia Promenade district let gamers be their own boss, giving the game a much-needed new lease of life.
Since the pack's addition, more careers like Acting and Interior Decoration have joined the fray, but developments in this mechanic are lying behind other stuff packs. The Sims 4's upcoming DLC's passive income potential is a step in the right direction, but The Sims 5 needs to create a diverse working environment for players. It makes sense for expanded property lots to come with the DLC, and The Sims 5 could use the increased space to feature workplaces for most if not all professions.
