There are very few gaming franchises that have been as enduring as The Sims. It appeals to gamers thanks to the way it effectively offers wish fulfillment, and the ability to live out a second life as a criminal mastermind, a famous author, a stay-at-home mother, or anything else one's imagination can conjure up. Although the latest entry in the series, The Sims 4, was released in 2014, it has managed to stay alive and relevant thanks to a steady stream of expansion packs that add new clothing, furniture, career paths, and features. Nevertheless, gamers are ready for the next chapter of The Sims, and some are already imagining what The Sims 5 might bring.
The Sims 5 has the potential to be another gaming phenomenon for Maxis and Electronic Arts. However, it is also very easy for the game's release to go wrong and for the franchise's reputation to be tarnished. One of the ways Maxis can ensure The Sims 5 receives a positive reception is by launching the game with all the features of The Sims 4.
The Sims 4 Proves Gamers Do Not Like it When Features Are Removed
The Sims 4 is an undeniable runaway hit, and to date, the game has attracted over 36 million players and generated over a billion dollars in profits. When analyzing these raw numbers, it is easy to overlook how much controversy the game kicked up in The Sims community around its launch.
In the lead-up to the game's release, EA revealed that among other features, Create-a-Style (a feature that allows players to color customize items) would not make the jump from The Sims 3 to The Sims 4. Although a design tool is present, it does not provide the same level of freedom as Create-a-Style. After release, missing features such as swimming pools and the toddler stage of a Sim's lifetime were patched in, but for some, it was a little too late.
According to Maxis, the removal of some features was due to technical limitations, while Graham Nardone added that time constraints made it difficult to add "complex features that require months of man-hours of work across multiple disciplines." Additionally, the developers also had to deal with the difficulty of working with a new game engine designed for The Sims 4. With The Sims 5, Maxis will have greater technology available and, hopefully, the need to build a new engine will not be there. If so, Maxis may avoid some of The Sims 4's mistakes.
The Sims 4 Demonstrates That Perception Matters
Although features were removed, and this was the main source of The Sims 4's criticisms, it is not necessarily the case that the game is inferior to The Sims 3. Arguably, more features were added than were removed. Most notably, The Sims 4 introduces the Emotion gameplay mechanic which affects the way a Sim behaves, how they interact with the world, and how their relationships turn out. Create-a-Sim and Build Mode are also greatly expanded.
Nevertheless, a certain false perception arises whereby gamers are far more sensitive to features being removed than they are to features being added. Consequently, it causes more of a stir when features are removed as compared to when new features are included. For this reason, it would be wise for Maxis to ensure that everything that The Sims series has established to this point can be replicated in The Sims 5 before it begins working on what new features can be added. While it may feel like a step backward to developers, history has shown that the removal of features is something that gamers do not tolerate easily.
The Sims 4 has enjoyed an unusually long lifespan, and during those years many gamers have expanded their base game with plenty of DLC to build the perfect dream life for their Sims. An easy way for Maxis to please its customers is to make sure that all the features of The Sims 4 are available in The Sims 5 at launch instead of leaving them out entirely or hiding them behind The Sims expansion packs.
