2023 is set to be a big year for The Sims franchise. New content is being released for The Sims 4, and The Sims 5 - aka "Project Rene" - is also in development. While some Simmers are ready to move into a new era for The Sims, the upcoming base game will come with significant changes, including multiplayer, cross-platform gameplay, and an emphasis on social connection. Since The Sims 4 is on par with The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim for being a "decade" game, it makes sense for Sims publisher Electronic Arts to take some big swings with The Sims 5 - including a possible Sims Online-inspired multiplayer mode.
Many Sims players may be unaware that the franchise has had a multiplayer game. The Sims Online - also known as "EA-land" - was an MMORPG and social simulator released in 2002. With the immense popularity of the first Sims game and the rise of the MMORPG genre with old-school RuneScape and Everquest, Electronic Arts wanted to get the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, The Sims Online was short-lived, as a lack of consistent players culminated in the game shutting down in 2008. Still, The Sims Online deserves a complete remake instead of being the multiplayer model for The Sims 5.
The Sims Online Was Ahead of Its Time But Faced Numerous Gameplay Limitations
Many gamers are familiar with modern social simulators like Second Life and Animal Crossing, without knowing that The Sims Online predates them both. The first Sims game introduced the iconic life simulator mechanics that are well-loved today, including the creation of Sims, relationship mechanics, lot customization, career paths, and more. Remarkably, The Sims Online was able to emulate quite a bit of the Sims experience while also creating a space for real-life players to interact. The MMORPG certainly had its drawbacks, but it set a precedent for the potential of large-scale social simulators.
When The Sims was released, modders began creating custom Sims content for the game and may have expected The Sims Online to allow for the same freedoms. Electronic Arts was focused on monetizing the game, so players were constrained to using only the official content that could be purchased in-game. This was a major upset, especially for players who were paying a monthly fee. Another issue that arose was the lack of compelling gameplay, as the technological limitations of the time severely constrained what players could do in The Sims Online. For instance, there were few career options, causing players to scam other players to make money, crushing the in-game economy within days of release.
The Sims: Online Could Be The Next Hit MMORPG If It Combined Modern Tech With Sims Mechanics
While there are more social simulation games on the market than in the early 2000s, the enduring popularity of The Sims franchise more than justifies a reboot of The Sims Online. Modern gaming technology has revolutionized how players interact, from real-time concerts in Sky: Children of the Light to world boss battles in The Elder Scrolls Online. The Sims Online could use this tech to vastly expand the capabilities and potential of the earlier released MMORPG. The Sims 4 has added quite a bit of new content to the franchise that the MMORPG could adopt, allowing for a remake of The Sims Online to focus solely on the multiplayer experience.
One game element that The Sims Online arguably did well is the advent of multiple neighborhoods where players could live. Each area had different terrain, with Alphaville being the most prominent residential district and communities like Dragon's Cove offering a higher degree of difficulty. A remake of The Sims Online could return to this neighborhood structure and in-game economy while adding more robust functionality to ensure they're not easily exploited. A reboot could also add more sophisticated Sims gameplay, including more careers, individual lots for households, pets, and, most importantly, custom content.
The Sims 5 is in development.