JOB POSTING: Multiplayer Gameplay Software Engineer

Build unique content for a game that supports a large demographic of simulation player patterns

This one is extremely concerning. I believe they will over-engineer this to death. They'll have UX researchers and data engineers look at how Sims 4 players play the game to analyze the large patterns of player behavior. Sims 5 will be built based on the "large demographic" aka popular play patterns.

Basing play patterns on the Sims 4 is fundamentally flawed as many people have been forced to modify their play styles due to a different, partially functioning, and arguably less fun installment of the franchise.

Examples:
(1) Building more in the Sims 4 does NOT mean this is a play pattern. One should consider people build more in the Sims 4 because perhaps they find live mode boring and wouldn't otherwise if they had (in their view) enriching gameplay

(2) Focus on challenges: shell challenge, 100 baby challenge etc. Challenges quickly became popular for many since the early Sims 4 era to compensate for lackluster gameplay. So many creative player interventions to "spice up gameplay" or make the game fun again

In other words. play patterns of the Sims 4 are a direct consequence of the strengths and weaknesses of the Sims 4. Players have been limited by the game, so don't assume these are core player play styles....and CERTAINLY don't build the Sims 5 based on the play patterns of the Sims 4!