The Sims 4: “5 years in and we’re just warming up”

I hope they will realize not every Sims fan is exactly over the moon about that. I hope they will take all Sims fans into consideration where the future of this fanchise is concerned. Can’t help this kind of feels like dismissing the very justified criticism people have for this version (referring to basic features like the emotions system, the cutting off parts of your active family while playing when you travel, the far from optimal multitasking, the lack of personalities). Not saying it is dismissive, just expressing my own feeling. Lots of fans aren’t happy when this game will last more than another three years (if it would hinder the release of a successor that is).

(to clarify, because I realize this is thin ice as to where it concerns forum rules, I’m purely reacting to the words/message in this - official -tweet; I interprete it as an official EA announcement that doesn’t make me happy; if people keep posting official tweets it’s inevitable others will react to them)

"Simsophonique;c-16749088" wrote:

@joAnne65 wrote:
It doesn’t. Just because they’d be working on a Sims 5 doesn’t mean they stop working on Sims 4.

Absolutely wrong , except foer the base game. As soon as the sims 5 will be released no more new sims 4. Same for older sims game , we know that.

I wish it's for the next sims 4 ep/sp at least ^^. That they need new voices for new type of activities or sims to come.

They were working on Sims 4 while still producing content for Sims 3. Remember Into The Future had hints about Sims 4 in the crashed spaceship in future Oasis Landing (Oasis Landing...Oasis Springs...hmmmm....). They might have a separate group of developers working on a new game engine, or maybe they contract that out. But if there is a Sims 5 being produced it's likely a good 4-5 years down the road, especially if they want the chance to actually get it right where they don't have to patch in stuff unless there's a major issue that can't be solved right away.

I'm 99% certain that the voice work that was done recently is for an upcoming pack -- whether its a GP or EP I have no idea, but they're going to want some sort of pack to market for the holiday shopping season.

"Dannydanbo;c-16765598" wrote:
There's a big difference between being unhappy with S4 and wanting it to end. Many of those unhappy people were unhappy because they thought their packs weren't coming in the short time they thought was left in it's life span. But hearing that more time was in the future for S4, their wants might get filled now.

I definitely don't want it to end. But I also don't want it to hinder a successor (if that would be the case, which I obviously don't know; if they aren't planning a successor anyway I'd be perfectly fine of course with them developing for Sims 4 for many more years).

Merged "The Sims 5 Ideas corner" with this ideas thread.

I actually do not think it is the Sims 5 myself - or if it is it is for that S.E.E.D. program which should be in the works in the next 4-5 years. That program is said to use the Frostbyte 3 engine - EA's inhouse game engine so that could account for no new engine contractors. I know for a fact this program is EA's baby and they have been working on it quite a long while.

I see Sims 4 going beyond the 3 years myself - personally just from the way the future games are discussed at the quarterly meetings and the determination to get the new system brought to life. Granted I don't know this for a fact - but Andrew Wilson made it pretty clear it is the future of gaming and not just EA's future.

It's 4 years and a month. So how is it 5 years in? The game came out Sept 2nd 2014.

"LeGardePourpre;c-16773850" wrote:
@Writin_Reg

The development didn't start in 2014.
“5 years in and we’re just warming up”, the voice actor seems to work since 2013.

The world didn't start to exist when you were born :p .

Well it also did not start in 2013 - it was announced by EA in 2013 officially but they started working on it from published report before 2010 if you want to get honest about it. It changed directs twice during that time and engines actually before Sim City took a dive...

EA always officially announces the next sims approximately 15 month before it has an approximate due date to come out - which is a relatively loose due date and subject to delay if need be, but generally the 15 month time line is what they tend to aim for - after they are sure it will be coming out. Of course as we well know things change but at least through Sims 4 that was what they had always done before. Now under the public company things/laws and present system who knows if that will change or not - we are also live service - so that might matter. Do any of us even know for sure now a days. All we have to go by is the way it used to be through Sims 4.

Some public company laws are even different now - so even EA cannot change those things - so really we can only go by what they tell us. But you cannot count from when they started working on games - as they have started some game that have never came out many times in fact - all studios do - it only matter once they officially announce them and an official approximate street time - which as said even is not carved in stone. But the actual street date is the activation of the game and then you count.

ETA - Are you trying to be humorous or something? That statement makes no sense or I just don't get your humor if that is what it is.

"catloverplayer;c-16749321" wrote:

"littlemissgogo;c-16749195" wrote:
If it's for a spin-off, I wonder what sort it'll be? I'm definitely curious. Which of the Sims spin-offs were the most popular in the past? Or will it end up as something completely new?

Hopefully were sims are stuck on an island and have to make due.

I miss Castaway Stories: I probably still have a copy of it in storage, but unfortunately hubby did not let me label the boxes before we packed them away.

"Loanet;c-16750047" wrote:
The last thing EA - or anybody - would want would be for Sims 4 and Sims 5 to be in competition with each other.

EA has mentioned a new Sims game, but said nothing about Sims 5. Remember we have Sims Freeplay, Sims Mobile, and Sims Console. I predict another spinoff. Sims 4 is flexible for content but there's always new mediums coming out to take advantage of.

Sims Oculus, anybody?

This would either make a good Sims 5 (after all, V is the roman numeral for 5, and VR...contains V.) or a good spinoff. Virtual reality Sims would indeed likely require a redo of the game engine. EA also has not released many VR compatible titles to date, to say the least, so if Sims VR is Sims 5, they would *need* to push Sims 4 so that it lasts at least until close to the time that Sims 5 is ready. Sims VR could also be a good spinoff, and in the current state of VR gaming, most VR games tend to be pretty primitive so far. The technology simply hasn't advanced enough to make a good Sims game yet. Most people would also need to have computers capable of running VR before they would release it as any more than a spinoff. Right now, the minimum specs for running VR games exceed most computers' specs. My computer is capable of running VR, but I don't use it for that because VR headsets are still too high priced. I think if there finally becomes a universal standard for VR, that runs on mobile, as well as PC, Mac, and console, more people will invest in VR. Also, if the price of VR gaming equipment goes down below $150, we will see a lot more people purchase them. The current pricing makes them basically expensive toys for the rich or semi-rich. (Yes, if you have an annual income above $100K US, you are semi-rich in my view, and if your annual income is above $500K US, I consider you rich.) That, or perhaps you live with somebody else, where that somebody else pays most of your expenses, and you buy gaming toys. Or, you bought the gaming toys instead of health insurance or a gym membership.

"SimsILikeSims;c-16775381" wrote:

"catloverplayer;c-16749321" wrote:

"littlemissgogo;c-16749195" wrote:
If it's for a spin-off, I wonder what sort it'll be? I'm definitely curious. Which of the Sims spin-offs were the most popular in the past? Or will it end up as something completely new?

Hopefully were sims are stuck on an island and have to make due.

I miss Castaway Stories: I probably still have a copy of it in storage, but unfortunately hubby did not let me label the boxes before we packed them away.

I would love a castaway game pack, reading a story about shipwrecked sims here on the forums B)
I still play the old game when bored with the newer games.