Fans of The Sims franchise have a lot to look forward to. Not only is The Sims 5 currently in development, but The Sims 4 has an expansion pack slated for release soon. The Sims 4 Growing Together seems to be centered around family gameplay and might be the perfect pack for players who want to get the most out of the upcoming update that introduces the infant life stage. Although Growing Together includes a myriad of new gameplay centered around socialization and family moments, the new "Childhood Confidence" mechanic has the potential to be groundbreaking.
While few details are known about the new mechanic, the description of the pack alludes to the "Confidence" gameplay element's profound impact on child Sims. Although over a dozen expansion and game packs have been released for The Sims 4, this might be the first mechanic unique from other Sims games. It's also refreshing to see a realistic aspect of real-life psychological development as a subtle but fundamental part of gameplay. As many Simmers are hoping for The Sims 5 to introduce realistic gameplay, Growing Together might bode well for future games having those features.
The Sims Franchise Struggled With Content for Younger Sim Life Stages
Although The Sims franchise has always had multiple life stages, there seems to have been a constant struggle to provide consistent content for all of them. Newborn Sims are notorious for having very little interactivity compared to other life stages, but child Sims might rival this lack of updated gameplay. While The Sims 4: Parenthood introduced more skills and activities for toddlers and children, the only real difference between those life stages is the ability to go to school. With this, from The Sims 2 to The Sims 3, elementary school has always been a rabbit hole for children, making the vast majority of their time spent unseen by players.
It's curious that although The Sims 4 has released an expansion specifically targeting one life stage - except for elder Sims - children have not gotten an expansion of their own. While Growing Together gives kids tree houses, sleepovers, and friendship bracelets, the "Childhood Confidence" mechanic might be the first gameplay mechanic taken directly from real-world adolescence and explicitly reserved for children. According to the expansion announcement, every child Sim will gain or lose confidence depending on their interactions with their family. It's unclear if this mechanic stretches to friends and neighbors, but hopefully, the real-world implications of confidence will also appear in The Sims 4 as well.
Why The Sims 4 Growing Together's Childhood Confidence Mechanic is Important
Simmers who have kept up with the development of future Sims games may have noticed that Electronic Arts was interested in hiring an experimental psychology expert to be involved. The involvement of real-world experts in the development of Sims content may have contributed to the new "Childhood Confidence" mechanic, and it's refreshing to see. Throughout the history of The Sims, the franchise has touched on some real-world issues - including pollution in The Sims 4: Island Living and eco footprints in The Sims 4: Eco Lifestyle. The franchise hasn't yet tackled realistically representing issues relating to a Sim's psyche.
The Sims 4 has notably introduced emotions into base gameplay, but they can be static and ineffectual instead of realistic. In contrast, some more poignant mechanics - like puberty in The Sims 4: High School Years - are compelling because they target a specific age group. Another example could be the "midlife crisis" event introduced in The Sims 3: Ambitions. These events are realistic, have distinct gameplay, and, most importantly, mimic the real world. As Simmers anticipate the release of The Sims 5, many hope to see more gameplay involving the psyche across all age groups.
The Sims 4 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
