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jliu670's avatar
jliu670
Seasoned Traveler
2 years ago

Should the Sims 4 take advantage of more CPU cores?

I have played the Sims 4 since it was released, and I purchased and installed all DLCs till now.

As more and more contents are added to the game, the game is becoming slower and slower. Sometimes I am frustrated that my computer has 8 CPU cores (16 threads), but the game cannot take advantage of all of them. When I was playing the Sims 4, two cores are busy, two cores are less busy, and remaining 4 cores are in idle.

Since EA is updating the game to become compatible with DirectX 11, could EA team also enable the game to take advantage of more CPU cores? It has been more than 10 years since the game was released, vast majority of players have upgraded their computers at least once already. I believe large number of players’ computer CPU are 8 cores or more. I wish the game engine itself won’t become a bottleneck for the smooth gameplay .

2 Replies

  • jpkarlsen's avatar
    jpkarlsen
    Hero (Retired)
    2 years ago

    @jliu670 

    That would require a total rewrite of the games core and the minimum requirements would increase dramatically which means that a lot of people will not be able to play the game any more.

  • jliu670's avatar
    jliu670
    Seasoned Traveler
    2 years ago

    ChatGPT provided me a perfect answer:

    It is unlikely that EA will undertake the significant effort required to rewrite The Sims 4 to fully support more CPU cores. Here are a few reasons why:

    ### 1. **Resource Allocation**:
    - **Explanation**: Rewriting and optimizing a game for better multi-core support is resource-intensive, involving considerable time, money, and developer effort.
    - **Impact**: EA might prefer to allocate these resources to new projects or future titles rather than overhauling an older game.

    ### 2. **Existing Player Base and Stability**:
    - **Explanation**: The Sims 4 has an established player base with stable performance on current systems. Major changes to the game engine could introduce instability and bugs, affecting the user experience.
    - **Impact**: EA might avoid significant changes to prevent disrupting the existing player experience.

    ### 3. **Focus on New Titles**:
    - **Explanation**: With the development of The Sims 5 (Project Rene) already underway, EA's focus is likely on optimizing the new game for modern hardware and ensuring it takes full advantage of multi-core CPUs from the start.
    - **Future-Proofing**: It makes more strategic sense for EA to invest in the next generation of their franchise, incorporating modern technologies and optimizations.

    ### 4. **Business and Financial Considerations**:
    - **Explanation**: Companies often weigh the return on investment (ROI) for such extensive updates. Enhancing an older title might not provide sufficient financial returns compared to developing new content or games.
    - **Monetization Strategies**: EA might find it more profitable to release expansions, updates, or new titles rather than overhauling the core architecture of The Sims 4.

    ### Industry Trends and Statements:
    - **Industry Approach**: Many game companies prefer to implement such extensive optimizations in new projects rather than retrofitting older ones. This is seen with titles transitioning from older versions to more optimized sequels.
    - **Developer Statements**: Developers, including EA, often prioritize current and future projects where they can build on modern frameworks and technologies rather than revisiting older codebases.

    In summary, while rewriting The Sims 4 to better support multi-core CPUs would improve performance, it is a complex and costly endeavor. EA is more likely to focus these efforts on The Sims 5 and other future projects to ensure they are optimized for contemporary hardware from the outset.

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