Feedback: Shopping Cart Icon and main menu ads

Sims 4 has definitely felt like it's in a precarious position for a while now, and it's somehow getting worse with every release and patch. I was skeptical about this pack theme, but the CAS and B&B more or less won me over and I considered adding it to my to-buy list soon enough. But amidst the bugs introduced with the pack and the shopping cart, I'm completely soured on Crystal Creations — possibly forever. 

Project Rene is supposedly going to release as a F2P game, which leads me to believe it'll be ten times worse. The argument that continues to be made here is that we've spent anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars on this game, so we shouldn't be forced to suffer ads in game. With Rene, we won't be paying an entry fee, so when they force this sort of thing in our faces, we'll be labeled as entitled and greedy for not wanting to be advertised to while playing a game (moreso than we are now). It's a pessimistic take on things, but EA and Maxis have done ridiculously little to instill me with faith. 

Also, in case it wasn't clear, when I said that some people were claiming the Shopping Cart button was still pulsing after the patch, I wasn't doubting anyone. ❤️ I haven't updated my game since the cart was introduced, and so didn't want to make it sound like I was experiencing the bug myself, but I believe everyone who is still reporting issues.

The in game shopping icon is so annoying. It's placed so that it's easily (and mistakenly) clicked on when all we want to do is open up the gallery. My feedback: Please remove. It's pointless and rage inducing.

@FreddyFox1234  You make a valid point. And even the young people who experienced the sims for the first time when Sims 4 first came out have years of experience and many happy memories playing the sims, now. The people who will be using the next version of the sims will not remember any of that. They will likely have been playing an EA competitor in people simulations, and their loyalty will be to that company, first. EA will find themselves measured against the accomplishments of another company, and that has never happened before in the sims. So, yes, very risky.

Also, populations are decreasing, not keeping up with past projections. A smaller pool of potential players and competition that never existed before to factor into dividing up that smaller pool, is not a recipe for growth. EA really should be trying to hang onto every player they currently have. Especially since economies world wide are in turmoil, and no one knows how that will all turn out. Not a good time to take chances. Not at all.

I think it’s a risky strategy from EA. I’ve read so many simmers who’ve been playing for decades, who’ve played earlier Sims games, who’ve bought every pack (or pretty much), and who’ve been so loyal to the Sims that they’ve put up with bugs and so many other serious issues and would have carried on buying every pack and staying loyal because of all the good times and memories they’ve had with the Sims — but they’ve finally had enough and are saying that this is the last straw, and they’re walking away from the game. With competition for the Sims coming thick and fast now, these players will never come back.

And in their place are newer players, who don’t have fond nostalgic memories of playing the Sims for decades to keep them persevering when they have issues with the game. These new players will try the Sims for a bit but won’t have any qualms about quickly discarding the game if they find something better made/less buggy/better value for money. It’s foolish to aim all your marketing at these newer players, and not care about the effect on your long-standing loyal fan base.

I am guessing that this is a precursor to what will be happening in "Sims 5" and they want us to get used to it now. Also, once that new game is released, they might want to move Sims 4 to a store content set up, rather than more packs, and then the cart might connect seamlessly to the store for instant downloading of individual items, something like in Sims 3. It is just a guess, but either of those scenarios would be an incentive to introduce a cart.

I think the pulsating effect is the biggest mistake, and to not entirely remove it when they know it is harming people is unforgivable. The only reason I am still able to play is because of a mod that removes the cart. So I do completely understand that anyone who is not on a PC and cannot use mods might just throw in the towel, out of necessity. As well as principle.

It is a huge mistake for the company to not address this situation openly, and to refuse to communicate their rational for keeping the cart in the game. It was also a mistake to call it a feature, when it is plainly advertising. Whoever came up with the idea, and the approach, does not understand marketing.

If EA still had a monopoly on a people-type simulation game, I could comprehend them standing their ground and toughing it out, because they would have a real hold on the vast majority of people. However, to make such a move now, when several viable alternatives to the Sims franchise are in the news and set to release in the near future is more than foolhardy. EA's next offering will not be ready to directly compete with the new simulation games, all of which have features never seen in the EA Sims franchise. Features that look really good. This is NOT the time to drive your base into the arms of an up and coming company, EA.

It is not too late for EA to reverse course, if they hurry. But time is running out. Once people stop playing, and find other things to do with their time, they will not feel the need to look back. Especially with a new shiny grabbing their attention.

I want to continue to play Sims 4 because I only came on board when Henford-on-Bagley released (Sims 3 never had bunnies), so it is still all fresh and new to me. I have been buying everything on release day, just because of the excitement and thrill of new content. But after this fiasco, I will be sitting back without updating, to see if anything else might threaten my continued playing of the game. I will not risk losing what I have right now. Only when I am sure my game is safe will I update or buy the next content offering. What a buzzkill.

And the chances of me moving on to Sims 5 is looking dimmer each day. I cannot afford to invest in a new game that might "explode in my face," at any moment. I have loved the Sims since Sims 1, but EA has managed to kill all my excitement. Sigh.

@IrezawaI hear you and I feel for you. I'm sorry for anyone who struggles with anxiety to such a degree, because I live it every day.

I've been trying to figure out how to verbalize why, even if it were the only issue, the yellow light would bother me (I haven't updated my game yet, so I don't know yet if it applies to me). After all, there's one by the calendar and the phone (plus social bunny if you have HSY like me), right?

But these are GAMEPLAY features. I still find the little reminder lights annoying, but at least you can click on the calendar to see what's new and to remove the light but it's STILL RELATED TO YOUR GAME/STORY. Same with the phone or social bunny (which also can be silenced or deactivated).

But the cart light (actually the cart itself) is a real life reminder to us all that no matter how much we've spent, or planned on spending of our own free will: it is never enough to satisfy the corporate bottom line.* It also nags at us, like an overdue bill or assignment we haven't finished, which creates so much anxiety and dread for those of us predisposed to it. It REMOVES the fun in the game.

Please, PLEASE let us have our fun back!



* I worked corporate jobs for years, I know they have to make money, but it seems the decision is only ever to raise prices, or slash payroll (never higher ups though), instead of cutting costs in every other area.

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@Sprielder wrote:

Mine has a pulsating  yellow  light in the corner of the cart.  I hope the cart will be removed.  I want to play the game so much, but I can't right now. The button gives me anxiety.

I spent a ton of money on this game and its unplayable. I could cry.

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I know exactly how you feel. After a week away, I tried to play the game again today and just couldn't. It's like it's difficult to even breathe properly. And it really sucks because quite often I see some gorgeous building or interior in TV or in a movie or something and I think "wow, I'd like to do something like that in The Sims" and, well, I can't.