Fans of The Sims franchise have a lot of new content to look forward to. Not only has developer Electronic Arts unveiled a 2023 roadmap with more planned features for The Sims 4, but The Sims 5 - codenamed "Project Rene" is also in development. While very little is known about the next-generation Sims game and what it has in store for players, there are rumors that it might include open-world elements. With the indisputable success of The Sims 3's open world, it would make sense for The Sims 5 to get this same treatment.
Electronic Arts has kept most of The Sims 5 development secrets under wraps - but have let fans know that the upcoming game will focus on "social connection." This could mean anything from including multiplayer functionality to building out an expansive open world, but only time will tell. Given the prevalence and popularity of The Sims 4 community-made mods that turn the game into an open-world life simulator, there is ample possibility for The Sims 5 to be the open-world game fans have long wanted.
If The Sims 5 Has Multiplayer, It Needs An Open World
There are many rumors about The Sims 5's possible multiplayer functionality, which might allow players to interact with other players' Sims in real-time. Some players may be unaware that multiplayer game elements have existed in previous iterations of The Sims franchise. The Sims Online was an MMORPG released by Electronic Arts in December 2002. While the game has shut down all activity, it was extremely popular but received mixed reviews critically. What The Sims Online proved is that to have any multiplayer functionality for The Sims, an open world needs to be involved.
The Sims Online never had an open-world concept due to the limitations of the franchise at the time, but the MMORPG demonstrates how exciting and immersive a Sims open-world, multiplayer game would be. Without open-world functionality in The Sims 5 with multiplayer, it would be difficult for players to find each other, and they would be confined to chatting in one room, as with The Sims Online. With the advances in technology over the almost two decades since The Sims Online was released, players deserve to have a multiplayer experience that emulates the expansive open worlds of modern MMORPGS.
Why An Open World Is So Vital To The Single-Player Sims 5 Experience
While multiplayer functionality for The Sims 5 would be groundbreaking, many fans of the franchise want an open world that emulates The Sims 3. In The Sims 3, all the game worlds are open for exploration, allowing Sims to drive around a vibrant downtown in The Sims 3: Late Night or explore ancient tombs in The Sims 3: World Adventures. Not only did Sims have the ability to explore vast landscapes freely, but there were also very few loading screens between locations. In essence, The Sims 3 never needed multiplayer functionality because it already seamlessly simulated the experience of meeting new Sims.
It's been almost a decade since The Sims 4 was released without open-world functionality, but fans have created mods that simulate an open-world experience. For instance, a Simmer named Arnie created the "Brookheights Open World Mod," adding a massive active lot that Sims can explore freely in The Sims 4. The mod also adds cars to the game, another game element in The Sims 3, not in The Sims 4. The mod is an excellent demonstration of how vital an open world is to player immersion. Hopefully, The Sims 5 will take inspiration from fan-created open-world content and re-introduce open-world mechanics in the upcoming game.
The Sims 5 is in development.