Are Game Packs Dead? «123...Next Go

Eleri

When Horse Ranch was released, it became apparent, to me anyway, that it was basically a Game Pack sold as an Expansion Pack. This didn't immediately raise my suspicions. We've seen gamespansion packs before. Then we found out that, for the first time in Sims 4 history, we would be going an entire calendar year without a new Game Pack. Also for the first time, we were getting three Expansion Packs in a year. This had me wondering. Is the Game Pack series over? From now on will they sell all of their GP-type content as Expansion Packs?

Edit:
It's been brought to my attention that my poll options are too vaguely worded.

• "Game Packs will never die!"=You are firmly convinced that Game Packs will return next year.
• "They're still alive, I think"=You expect them to return next year, but there's room for doubt.
• "Insufficient data"=You don't think there's enough information to form an expectation. Maybe they'll return, maybe they won't.
• "They're mostly dead"=You do not expect Game Packs to return ever again, but there's room for doubt.
• "They're on a break"=You expect Game Packs to return after a long hiatus, similar to Stuff Packs after Paranormal.
• "Dead as a door nail"=You are firmly convinced that we'll never see another Game Pack.

simgirl1010

Insufficient data

Pure speculation. We thought stuff packs were dead but we're getting one in 9 days!

PandoraTO

Insufficient data

I'm not sure whether HR was a one-off or not in terms of it being an EP that should have been a GP. I suspect that the original concept might have been for it to be a GP, but it was bumped up to an EP for financial reasons. It was probably more expensive to make than a typical GP. But, we'll have to wait for a few more packs to come out to know whether GPs are actually dead. My gut says they're not, though.

LeucosiaX

They're on a break

Game packs are the best bang for your buck. you get a lot of what you're looking for for just $20. Sometimes even a new world. I kind like them more than the expansions at times.

It could be, it;s a lot of work for the development team, almost as much as an expansion, they figured to make up for the time they could only produce $5 kits, now they have the time, post lockdown, & want to make up for what they may have lost in the low production stage.

Horrorgirl6

Insufficient data

Can we stop saying horse ranch was game pack? I mean it was not 40.00 dollars,but definatly had more stuff than a game pack.

Gordy

I think it's a little soon to call them dead lol. Besides, we're due for our next occult next year, and fairies are a fan favorite... Assuming they don't give us a three year gap, like they did between Servos and werewolves.

LeucosiaX

They're on a break

Horrorgirl6 wrote: »

Can we stop saying horse ranch was game pack? I mean it was not 40.00 dollars,but definatly had more stuff than a game pack.

I don't think horse ranch was a game pack worth- it's enormous in build buy world and gameplay. While I do see the short change like no new venue type, and the equestrian center being a rabbit hole, i think the it was to reflect the inflation of cost to develop and their set price. As technology expands and things cost more, but they want the game to be accessible to a larger market. I really think the stables as a regular park doesn't work, and it's always dead and they should refresh that. Also the town, more. could be in the center square. The lot to change your clothes is insulting because you can just click on your sim for that, or the menu in the dashboard to go to create a sim. It could be more but the budget went to the horses and they came out quite good imo. I wish they did not intercept others in path of riding, but that should be fixed in an update.

SERVERFRA

They're still alive, I think . . . *Checks for a pulse*

I'm a little concerned that we're not getting any Gameplay Packs this year. Getting 3 Expansion Packs in one year is a first.
I do so hope we get some Gameplay Packs next year. Preferably 3 in one year please.

Simmingal

They're still alive, I think . . . *Checks for a pulse*

I'm hoping this means more GP next year
I'm also hoping there be occult since this year been so realism heavy

but yeah as for why so many EP it could also be that there was the pandemmy and things got stalled a bit so now they're just finishing up bunch of EP at once

as for horses I don't think those were ever going to be fit in GP tbh.

catloverplayer

They're still alive, I think . . . *Checks for a pulse*

I have a feeling the Next Gamepack will come in Spring.

SERVERFRA

They're still alive, I think . . . *Checks for a pulse*

I'm really hoping for a Fairy Gameplay Pack in 2024.

FreddyFox1234

They're on a break

I’m pretty sure they’ll be back next year. I might be wrong of course, but I’ve wondered if the 3 EPs this year is a kind of recovery post-lockdown/catch-up, given that they work on EPs for years and there have been a few very light roadmaps since covid. As we’re getting 3 EPs this year we don’t need a GP as well, so my guess is we’ll get one early next year. The last GP was Werewolves which was really well received (and really well done - I got it in the current sale and I’m impressed). But imo Werewolves is still a much lighter pack than Horse Ranch, so I don’t see any need to think that EPs are taking over GPs.

GrumpyGlowfish

Oh, GPs still exist. They're just called EPs now (Growing Together, Horse Ranch).

Eleri

They're mostly dead, but still a little bit alive

@FreddyFox1234 I think I should have been clearer and less cutesy with my poll options. I meant "They're on a break" to mean that you expect them to come back after a lengthy hiatus, similar to SP after Paranormal. It sounds like you're aligned more with "They're still alive, I think" which is if you expect them to return next year, but think there's room for doubt. "GP will never die!" is if you're firmly convinced they're coming back next year.

musteni

Game Packs will never die! Stop trying to build your mischief skill with fake bad news.

I don't personally own horse ranch yet, but from what I've seen it doesn't seem like a gamepack to me. I suppose I could be a little bit biased because horses are my dream.

crocobaura

Insufficient data

I hope they haven't discontinued game packs. We're going to have three EPs and one stuff pack and many kits this year, so I wouldn't worry yet. However, I sure hope that future EPs won't be like the horse pack because it had too little gameplay for me. I mean if you aren't into horses, there's not much else there. Goats and wine making aren't as fleshed out to compensate. I would have expected at least a wine festival or a wine making and tasting event and to be able to sell the wines in the restaurant menu.

FreddyFox1234

They're on a break

Eleri wrote: »

@FreddyFox1234 I think I should have been clearer and less cutesy with my poll options. I meant "They're on a break" to mean that you expect them to come back after a lengthy hiatus, similar to SP after Paranormal. It sounds like you're aligned more with "They're still alive, I think" which is if you expect them to return next year, but think there's room for doubt. "GP will never die!" is if you're firmly convinced they're coming back next year.

OK, thanks for the explanation. Yes, the ‘They’re still alive’ option probably fits me better then.

logion

Insufficient data

I think we as players see and feel the effect of their allocated budgets a lot in their packs. The reason why Growing Together and Horse Ranch might feel like game packs is probably because they spent a lot of their resources adding Infants and Horses to the game and they don't want to increase their budget to make the packs "feel" more like expansion packs.

They do seem to make more requested features for the game now, which I do like. We see less "weird" and "innovative" packs now.

But some of the more requested features that people want for The Sims 4 does require a fair bit of development which in turn prevents them from releasing them as game packs, so I think that's the reason why we have not seen game packs for a while.

cyncie

Insufficient data

My guess is that they’re under development. The GP format seems to be where all of the occult packs land, so if we get anything new along those lines (fairies, zombies, upgraded aliens) that will probably be the format used. And, if they’re planning to continue TS4 alongside Renee, GPS and Stuff Packs might actually become more common than EPS because of the development requirements.

ULIBABA66

Game Packs will never die! Stop trying to build your mischief skill with fake bad news.

cyncie wrote: »

My guess is that they’re under development. The GP format seems to be where all of the occult packs land, so if we get anything new along those lines (fairies, zombies, upgraded aliens) that will probably be the format used. And, if they’re planning to continue TS4 alongside Renee, GPS and Stuff Packs might actually become more common than EPS because of the development requirements.

Not sure why we need to guess anything anymore they literally confirmed this game is not going to get dropped anytime soon and before anyone tags me or anything (with pure respect ), YES SimGurus including SimGuruLyndsay herself, executive producer, confirmed Sims 4 WILL indeed continue to get content packs, updates AND support (not just the support), as they literally talked about spin-offs once the Rene segment in the latest Sims Summit stream started. I wasn't surprised about this announcement at all, as I knew from external reliable sources that this game will last a long time, possibly even decades to come, not just for a few more years, nope actually way longer than that. This game is a money machine so they have zero plans to drop it anytime soon + now it does seem like Rene is actually a side-game/spin-off with a different audience than The Sims 4, and the fact they mentioned the spin off games like Castaway, The Sims Bustin Out etc, implies it is planned as its own new Sims-themed game now, but yes I know they talked about that game getting DLC as well. Sims Medieval got one adventure pack as well, so technically spin-offs have already received expansion packs on their own outside the main Sims franchise. And I am pretty sure game packs are coming back next year, I am very happy a new SP is coming after a long while, however I had this feeling they would return, too. And I kind of had a strong "yup they are coming back sooner than we think" feeling once they replied to that comment about a player of Sims 4 missing the stuff packs. So now I am sure even if cars won't come this year (I kind of hope not because I love surprises every once in a while with the EPs, so hopefully the third EP of 2023 will be about something like apartment life or real estate rather than vehicles), that they will most likely come next year. 2024 does feel like the defining year for cars to arrive to Sims 4. But I believe they will need to be supported by an expansion packs that will make sense with a possible Cars base game update, they always need the budget for base game updates so it will be created with the content packs resources like it has always been.

Eleri

They're mostly dead, but still a little bit alive

ULIBABA66 wrote: »

Not sure why we need to guess anything anymore they literally confirmed this game is not going to get dropped anytime soon

We're talking about Game Packs specifically, not DLC generally. SimGuruLyndsay did not confirm that Game Packs would be returning. Over the course of the Sims 4 lifespan, we've seen pack series evolve and devolve. We've seen kits added. We've seen stuff packs killed off and then resurrected like a soap opera character. The Sims 4 is here to stay, yes. That doesn't mean that Game Packs are.

CAPTAIN_NXR7

Game Packs will never die! Stop trying to build your mischief skill with fake bad news.

logion wrote: »

We see less "weird" and "innovative" packs now.

This saddens me. I want to see more of these weird and innovative packs. It keeps things fresh. All the recent packs have been extremely realism heavy, its time for weird again. Occult/ Offbeat themed Game Packs are perfect and very necessary to scratch that fantasy player’s fantasy itch. There’s so few of them.

Game Packs are staying, and for me the weirder, the better! 👻👽🤖☠️

Eleri

They're mostly dead, but still a little bit alive

GrumpyGlowfish wrote: »

Oh, GPs still exist. They're just called EPs now (Growing Together, Horse Ranch).

@GrumpyGlowfish I don't agree that Growing Together is a GP. I think it's actually one of the most complex EPs we've ever had. I have a pet theory that people who think Growing Together is GP-level never played infants without it and assume that most of the infant-related game play that Growing Together added was part of the base game update. You can correct me if I'm wrong.
They had to add the infant life stage to base game, because they had promised not to release anymore DLC of DLC. If infants weren't in base game, they couldn't add additional content for them to other DLC. At the same time, base game infants are an extremely shallow feature. They don't develop skills or abilities, there are not many interactions adults can have with them other than attending to their basic needs. Aside from the crib and a few decorative items, there aren't many items specifically for them, although they can use toddler toys.
Now there's a lot of other content that comes with Growing Together, but if a person mistakenly thinks that most of the infant game play was patched into base game, it'll make that EP seem lighter weight than it really is. Getting back to the main topic, I'm not, at this point, concerned that proper EPs are going away, I just think they'll alternate them with gamespansion packs, instead of alternating them with Game Packs.

cyncie wrote: »

if they’re planning to continue TS4 alongside Renee, GPS and Stuff Packs might actually become more common than EPS because of the development requirements.

@cyncie I can definitely see this happening down the road if they stick with the GP series. On the other hand, if they take GP-level topics, pad them with a few fluff features and release them as an EP, that might reduce the concern about development requirements. Let's take Fairies as example. Suppose we have fairies + a rejiggering of the Romantic Garden wishing well + a ballet skill (cause Sugar Plum Fairy). Voila! An EP!

PlayerSinger2010

Insufficient data

Game Packs are the only way occult players get anything so they better not be dead.

LJK

Insufficient data

With the sentiment here, the upcoming roadmap would be a great time to announce a future occult/fantasy based game pack. Bit of a stretch, but here's hoping that Grim Reaper career that appeared in a survey comes to light.

AncientMuse

I really really hope not. Sims 4 game packs are the only thing left that still gives us whimsical fun and fantasical adventures.

The Sims has always been "weird" and "innovative" and I hope it continues to be as such, otherwise the game will lose its original unique charm. It's that kooky fun and weirdness that set it apart from all other life simulation games, past and present, for these 20+ years.

Take that away and all you'll have left is a dolly dress-up game. And as much fun as dolly dress-up games can be sometimes (not admitting anything here *cough*), I think it's safe to say that none of us want to see The Sims end up as just another one of those generic boring life simulation games.... eat, put on lipstick, flirt with neighbour, stare at cell phone, sleep. *yawns loudly*

/yodaspeak
"Dull and drab, oober realism makes."
/endyodaspeak