My feelings

I only started Sims 4 this year (but a long time Sims player) and although there are some pet peeves, I am enjoying the game, and I know they are putting effort into fixes, updates and trying to get players top priorities on their radar (via surveys/feedback). 

The thing is I like the Sims franchise, and losing players is not just bad for Sims 4, it is bad for future Sims installments. But times are tough also, people are getting tighter and tighter with their budgets, and this is a pretty expensive game even with sales, if you plan to buy everything.

I also know some players' demands are either too demanding (like would break the teen rating) or not just possible for how the game is set up. But some top requests seem reasonable and might be coming to us. I also think there are different types of players pushing for different agendas that the dev team can't appease all, so would eventually have those who lose interest that their agendas aren't following through.

For example there are many players that are wanting in one form or another Sim 2 or 3 features to be added (or have an updated better version added) to Sims 4. Then there are those who want Sims 4 to move further away from the OG and move to ultra realism (which many players also do not want). So it is a case of unable to please everyone, and people move on because of it.

I started playing The Sims 4 almost 3 years ago, and I am enjoying it more now than when I started out. I've liked all the packs and kits that I've bought and am always finding new ways to play, even though I'm still on the same Sim family I started on my first day with the game. The good thing about The Sims is that, regardless of whether other people are playing it or not, you can play it and still have just as good of a time. Obviously, I want the game to be successful and to make money because that helps ensure the development team will be able to keep working on it and improving it. But from a player's perspective, whether The Sims is currently the hottest thing in gaming or in a bit of a lull, it does nothing to affect your gameplay. I'm still enjoying SimCity 3000 and that game has been out for more than 25 years. A good game is a good game, no matter its age, no matter its popularity, and if you like it, you should play it. And if you buy the DLC, you'll be helping to keep it going.

The sad reality is that it's not worth it anymore. The more packs you buy the more the game becomes unplayable. They still didn't fix bugs from Rent, animals still disappear in Horse pack. Lovestruck still ruining relationships. Every pack is broken in some ways. We get more bugs every week and there's rarely any fix. 

I think The Sims 4 makes more profit from gaining new players than it loses from players quitting. That's why they won't release sims 5. And if its simmer erin's video there is a survey for who quit sims 4 and why they left. It doesn't mean sims 4 losing players in concerning way. Every game gains and losts in daily basis.

I dabbled in a bit of Sims 1 (didn't really have a PC growing up, but Making Magic was kick a**), had quite a few of Sims 2 packs, completely missed Sims 3. BUT!! I've been a Sims 4 player for a year now and I. AM. OBSESSED. 

So when I saw the survey about losing players I was shocked and saddened. Every day I discover new features/quirks that leave me in awe of the developers' creative genius and the community is so fun to interact with. 

I really hope this turns around in the long term. I'm not ready to see the end of my one true love any time soon. 

The way I see it, TS4 is a 10 year old game, people can take a break from playing, especially if they have played since TS4 was released. Then there are the players who have been with the franchise since the beginning, maybe they were teens or early twenties when they started playing, and in 25 years their priorities have changed and don't play as much or as often they did. When they say losing players I would assume the players have left the francise for good, don't play and therefore have no incentive to buy new packs. Personally, I don't know anyone who woke up one day and said that's it, I'm quitting the Sims for ever. It is summer, many are probably on vacations enjoying the sun and touching real grass. They will be back playing the game when they are ready and feel creative again and the game is a great creative outlet even if there are some bugs. Don't worry about what other people are saying or how they play their game, this is a single player game not a MMO. If the game feels right for you and you get some satisfaction and joy out of playing it, then it is worth it for you.  Don't buy packs just to buy everything, buy them if you feel like you want to explore the additional content they offer, because it may happen that people praise certain features, but when you try them out in game for yourself you find out that you don't like them as much as those other people do. But just as well it might happen that you get an idea about a storyline and a pack other people didn't like feels just right for you and your game. 

I think they are interested in gathering data regarding players taking a break or leaving and hopefully use it to discuss on how to move forward.

What is good about that survey is that you are able to give further information and multiple reasons why, that shows that they are aware that people are quitting or taking longer breaks for a variety of reasons.

They also asked if adding new relevant content would make me play the game more, so I think they are checking if they can get some players to return. 

They have not said anything about stopping making content for The Sims 4 so I don't think you have any reason to be worried there. But for the sake of the future of this franchise I do hope that they take this feedback into consideration when planning what to do from now on.

I personally think it's a really bad mistake to not even work on a sims5, video games take a very long time to make.

I don't actually worry about what anyone is saying about the Sims 4, it doesn't impact my game at all. The beauty of the game is that it can be played in so many different ways and has so many different themes. It is what you make of it in a lot of respects. I've played since the first Sims game and have played on all platforms. I own all packs.

I see valid criticism about bugs, I keep an eye on the Bug Reports and I report issues I see too, that's really the best way to deal with bugs. We've got the opportunity here to do that. The more details we give, the easier it is to replicate and hopefully fix the issue. I also take a look after patches/new packs to see if there have been any knock on effects and anything I should avoid. So when the animal ageing broke again I knew to leave those households alone, for example. Currently we've got some console bugs with Game Options and I'm prepared for that now by keeping in touch with the forum. It's actually the only game I use a forum for because there's such a wealth of knowledge here and generous players who will happily share that knowledge. 

I also see criticism that's subjective, like Events for example, ads, pack content and roadmap directions. We're never all going to agree on that. Events have been most polarising, I Iike them but would like them to be like scenarios so I could choose when to trigger the start point. But I also see criticism of things out of the control of EA, such as damage to mods from updates/bugs caused by mods and the inability to transfer content across platforms and use mods/cc on console. These aren't anything to do with EA. I also see suggestions for gameplay that would increase the age rating and again wouldn't be possible. So I'd take those factors out of any decisions about playing the game/adding content. I also understand the limitations of the game simply due to it's size. We're more likely to get new content as opposed to the colour wheel/open world for example, although I'd like to see them back.

Luckily there are 2 useful things to bear in mind for brand new players or players considering DLC. With the base game being free there's nothing to lose and with the forum there are ways to not only see pack feedback, but also to check if a pack has issues. General Discussion has the pack feedback and views and Bug Reports is self explanatory. 

The Sims 4 General Discussion | EA Forums

The Sims 4 Bug Reports | EA Forums

They lost me, there from the beginning. 

Too much ads in game, un fixed bugs...

I've been playing the Sims games all the franchise but my favorite is Sims 2, then Sims 3, Sims 1 and last 4. 4 is last because I feel like from the beginning they took a huge step back we didn't have pools, toddlers, aliens, no weather, everything was limited at that time the dlc was about partying being a YA which has got repetitive and boring really fast, At that time for me I think Cats and Dogs and Seasons were the best packs everything else was getting repetitive and boring and buggy like Get to Work, City Living, Get Together (Which to me I'll always love that world because it's the only huge world.) Get Famous, Discover University, They all felt repetitive and got boring after awhile.

Snowy Escape, Cottage Living, and Eco Living were the game changer yes it's a little repetitive but you have other gameplay you can do. Same thing with the game packs some were good for a moment but afterwards I was like okay I'm bored. However I think after My Wedding Stories the packs really started going down hill because not only was it repetitive and boring but it was limited and buggy aside from Growing Together, Life and Death and Business and Hobbies they are all game changing Packs it expanded the game. 

High School Years I remember being extremely excited for I bought the game and was extremely disappointed it was so limited and buggy and no it's repetitive and boring For Rent was limited the thing I liked was I can build apartments now and build multiple houses on one lot, the actual gameplay felt repetitive and now it's causing a corruption. Horse Ranch very limited I couldn't get into the gameplay I wasn't really into horses anyway but I wanted to have my NPC worlds feel more alive. LoveStruck I was excited for too and quickly got disappointed again limited, buggy, lack of BB, lack of gameplay. Also add in it's the same team that made My Wedding Stories, that made High School Years, Horse Ranch, Love Struck, For Rent, and now Enchanted By Nature. 

 Enchanted By Nature it's basically for the simmers who wanted Rags to Riches challenge then added Fairies I played it and now I stopped playing it and waiting for new dlc which is sad because I want to enjoy the game like I did in the past like Sims 2 had stories you can play off of or add your own stories it felt like soap opera because you had all this drama from the beginning then you wasn't bombarded with ads and events you played it your way.