The real reason EA wants to go multiplayer is not technology or the way other games are played. It is to monetize more of the Sims community. The talk about adding competition? That is because players have been creative with challenges, etc. and EA wants to make that a revenue stream. They are a business, and want to make money, I get that. It's always been a bit of love-hate with the modding community, perhaps because many of the mods are a vast improvement on what EA came up with themselves (to say nothing of fixing their mistakes). Multiplayer is not what I am looking for, and I fear any offline game option will come in a poor second to what they have in mind for multiplayer.
Is this official or just speculation? Unless the devs confirm it, I don't buy it. :v
It's speculation. Nothing has been actually confirmed - the idea was just floated by EA's CEO.
The only thing the big wigs at EA know how to do is buy up smaller studios, overwork all their devs, forced them to pump out badly made, rushed games with no heart, and then close the studio and collect on the losses and pay themselves for their hard work.
Exactly. It is a noticeable quality drop when a studio has been bought mid-franchise (like Bioware or Maxis).
A bit off topic and not trying to defend EA or anything (I'd be the last person to do it), but Bioware's downfall was almost entirely Bioware's fault. You should inform yourself by reading Jason Schreier's LONG articles (here and here) about the development of Mass Effect Andromeda and Anthem. EA gave Bioware more than 5 years to make those games, Bioware screwed around for most of those 5 years with no clear direction of how the games should be. It was their irresponsible behavior, crazy expectations and ambitions with limited resources that made them fail. I'm surprised EA still didn't close Bioware to be honest. This is the 3rd time the producers and directors of this studio do this (it started with Dragon Age Inquisition, but the flaws were less noticeable). So yeah, EA is not always to blame for bad games. Dragon Age 2's flaws was EA's fault (they only gave Bioware 1 year to make the game). Inquisition, Andromeda and Anthem were not. The Mass Effect trilogy ending was also not their fault, it was Casey Hudson's.
There is a good chance that our feedbacks regarding this supposed Sims 5 Online fall in deaf ears and jist go ahead developing Sims 5 online feature and then they will wondering why The Sims 5 Online is failed to meet their expectation and sales number.
Well they genuinely seemed surprised at what happened with Sim City and Anthem.
Also, fun fact: making a game like Anthem was entirely Bioware's decision. EA never pushed Bioware to make a game like that. Anthem also failed because Bioware kept refusing to look at the competition (Destiny) to learn what makes a game like that good. Anthem did not fail because it was an online game.
This is all off topic but I'm a bit tired of seeing people trying to defend Bioware when they should be held accountable for all the bad decisions they made. They were the ones pushing the developers to near breaking point because they couldn't make up their minds of how they wanted their games to be like and wasted years of production. The last good producers/directors/etc. all left and now that studio is filled with bad apples (the ones in charge, that is).
Also, I think people are overreacting big time with these "news". A game can have multiplayer and still have a good single player mode. Look at Stardew Valley, the creator introduced multiplayer and people loved being able to visit friends' farms. I personally won't use a feature like that, and I would prefer if it wasn't included, but that doesn't mean it will automatically ruin the game.. TS4 was a mess from the start, it was first created 10 years ago, game technology improves every year, we have no idea how a future sims game, with multiplayer or not, would look like. I am skeptical, but at the same time I'm optimistic that they will learn something from TS4 mistakes. If they don't, then that's because TS4 was popular enough for them and people bought all of the packs like good little sheep, so that's not entirely their fault is it? People like to complain about TS4 a lot, but they still support it by buying all of the packs, so they are part of the problem too. TS4 also has a lot of casuals and new fans to the franchise. Most on here will complain but will still buy TS5 anyway, regardless if it has multiplayer or not, so...
The problem with that is the Engine. They will share the same engine. We know The Sims 4 has such a weak engine because it is a repurposed online game.
When they decide to make The Sims 5 online but have a single player mode too, they have to take the online part into account. This means that various sacrifices have to be made. They aren't going to make The Sims 5 two seperate games (one for online and one for offline). They will share the same engine and limitations.
They should stop being so stubborn. They know very well that the majority of our community is against the Sims being online, and do not want a The Sims 4 disaster to repeat itself. It's already bad enough that the end of this mess is still nowhere in sight. They really keep dragging this mess out.
I found this interesting when I found it on the BBC News 14th February 2020 Some bits here and the whole article is worth reading. I hope EA/Maxis takes note as if they are counting on Loot boxes on multiplayer they are going in the wrong direction.
Fortnite boss says game loot boxes 'cause harm'
....Epic Games's co-founder has called for the end of pay-to-play "loot boxes" in video games.
Tim Sweeney argues the gaming industry is profiting from "doing customers harm". .............
...;"Do we want to be like Las Vegas, with slot machines or do we want to be widely respected as creators of products that customers can trust? I think we will see more and more publishers move away from loot boxes."
We barely know anything at this point so this reaction is a bit premature but I can't fault anyone for expressing disappointment or even anger, if indeed that is where our beloved franchise is heading... Personally, I would feel much better if it didn't have the "5" attached to it, then I could pretend it's a spin-off or something. :P
We barely know anything at this point so this reaction is a bit premature but I can't fault anyone for expressing disappointment or even anger, if indeed that is where our beloved franchise is heading... Personally, I would feel much better if it didn't have the "5" attached to it, then I could pretend it's a spin-off or something. :P
I would be 100% ok with a "sims online" and a "sims 5". People could pick which way they would play. My biggest concern with online features is the game engine so I really don't want to see TS5 as some kind of combined hybrid of a game. TS4 suffers because it should have been online. I don't want to see that for TS5, and if it does, well then that's TS4 and more of the same and I'm over and done with that nonsense.
I think the funniest thing, is that EA claims to be trendy, yet they are still trying to push the online route since 2002 multiple times. You would think from their past failures and with MMO games dying out that would actually research what is trendy, makes money, and what their servers can handle or not. SimCity 2013 could not handle the server traffic. What makes them think the Sims 5 can? Didn't they learn from their mistakes with Sims 4 and SimCity 2013 that Maxis cannot do multiple games well. It is like the proverb, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." How many times do they seriously want to fool their Maxis customers?
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
I think the funniest thing, is that EA claims to be trendy, yet they are still trying to push the online route since 2002 multiple times. You would think from their past failures and with MMO games dying out that would actually research what is trendy, makes money, and what their servers can handle or not. SimCity 2013 could not handle the server traffic. What makes them think the Sims 5 can? Didn't they learn from their mistakes with Sims 4 and SimCity 2013 that Maxis cannot do multiple games well. It is like the proverb, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." How many times do they seriously want to fool their Maxis customers?
I don't think console mmorpgs are a thing of the past are they? Maybe the next Maxis venture isn't for pc gamers at all? Maybe it is that tablet game they have been dreaming about all these years. They didn't care at all they shut down SC2013 and went with a mobile version instead, I think that was the plan all along. I think the Maxis Mobile has more influence than we know since they were merged to be more of the overseer of all things Maxis.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
I think the funniest thing, is that EA claims to be trendy, yet they are still trying to push the online route since 2002 multiple times. You would think from their past failures and with MMO games dying out that would actually research what is trendy, makes money, and what their servers can handle or not. SimCity 2013 could not handle the server traffic. What makes them think the Sims 5 can? Didn't they learn from their mistakes with Sims 4 and SimCity 2013 that Maxis cannot do multiple games well. It is like the proverb, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." How many times do they seriously want to fool their Maxis customers?
I don't think console mmorpgs are a thing of the past are they? Maybe the next Maxis venture isn't for pc gamers at all? Maybe it is that tablet game they have been dreaming about all these years. They didn't care at all they shut down SC2013 and went with a mobile version instead, I think that was the plan all along. I think the Maxis Mobile has more influence than we know since they were merged to be more of the overseer of all things Maxis.
Depends. Animal Crossing will be. They have two mobile games already. I don't know why they are trying to push it on PC players too.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
Lol, I just found out about this (the sims 5.) I remember when TS4 was being developed, they had plans to make it an online game but scrapped it which is why it launched so unfinished.
the sims 4 was meant to be an online game, they scrapped it. we got left with its pieces at the sims 4 launch.
forgive me EA if not excited for yet another online game idea
Lol, I just found out about this (the sims 5.) I remember when TS4 was being developed, they had plans to make it an online game but scrapped it which is why it launched so unfinished.
I agree with most of everything you said here. Except the part about a single player game like The Sims can also have a multiplayer side. I doubt it. Take a real hard look at TS4 then try to claim that. TS4 suffers from being a mulitplayer game salvaged from the trash. It's engine and design don't allow for things neatly packaged like terrain tools, automobiles, and expanded, deeper personalities like in 2 and 3, and or can't go without slot popping etc. If anyone thinks Maxis can build a very, very good single player and Multiplayer together they really haven't been looking at TS4 at all. Lessons learned? I think no, or they wouldn't want to revisit TSO experiment. Stardew multiplayer parts, visiting another's farm... TS3's Simport proves they can't do it right and haven't learned anything. I mean it was years later after TSO and still subpar 'visting'. Couldn't even save or quit, and The Sims was never meant to be a reward system for the player, but about the Sims, not us.
If anyone thinks it will be great take a look at The Sims mobile, The Sims Freeplay, and The Sims Social. What did they learn after TSO? Nothing, only how to manipulate for more money. But you are right EA is the strawman, they really shouldn't be blamed for everything.
The problem with that is the Engine. They will share the same engine. We know The Sims 4 has such a weak engine because it is a repurposed online game.
When they decide to make The Sims 5 online but have a single player mode too, they have to take the online part into account. This means that various sacrifices have to be made. They aren't going to make The Sims 5 two seperate games (one for online and one for offline). They will share the same engine and limitations.
They should stop being so stubborn. They know very well that the majority of our community is against the Sims being online, and do not want a The Sims 4 disaster to repeat itself. It's already bad enough that the end of this mess is still nowhere in sight. They really keep dragging this mess out.
I'm not saying I want TS5 to be online. It's the last thing I want. BUT it's been more than 10 years since they first created TS4's foundations (which was Olympus then). The problem with TS4 is that it was first meant to be online ONLY (or at least primarily, can't remember). A sims game that is only meant to be online obviously will be very different from a game that is meant to be single player only OR both. If they make TS5 I don't think they will commit the same mistake of making it online only, they will at least make it online and offline, like Stardew Valley. You can have your farm and play offline but you can also receive visits from friends or go to their farms and play with them. I think the sims team want to go down this route.
A lot changes in game technology with each passing year too and I don't think people realize that. Even if they were to use the same engine a lot can change if they make their base code differently from TS4. Loading screens between lots was not an engine limitation for example, it was a design decision, so were the "shell" apartments, etc.
But hey, if people want to express their disappointment, go for it. I guess I received these news differently because I was already expecting this to happen 100%, so I accepted it a long time ago. No amount of whining will change EA's mind, the only way you can change anything is with your wallet, but we all know people will still buy TS5, be it casual gamers or the most loyal simmers, so yeah, I'm just saying.
I think people shouldn't be complaining about the game having an online feature, I think we should come together and tell EA, "Hey, I'm only interested in the offline part, are you going to deliver that part too?", so at least we can be sure to have a good single player.
I can see it as EA trying to make an even bigger cashcow , Online ok , you want to own a store , yes if you buy the plot with real money and pay weekly rent , you want to own a club , the same , you want something more than the tiniest home plot , yes again if you buy the larger lot with real money or you have to buy simoleons each week to buy it or rent the land .
You want to go to your friends , sorry our servers cannot manage that , you can only visit people who have rented near you on the same server ,
You want better clothes , nicer hairs , better furniture , no you cannot mod it , now stop moaning and play with all the bugs we cannot fix because we have no modders to do it for us .
Oh look its failed , we are closing our servers down no matter how much real money you have put in the game . Hard luck but do buy the sims 6 (shallowest version ever )
I agree with most of everything you said here. Except the part about a single player game like The Sims can also have a multiplayer side. I doubt it. Take a real hard look at TS4 then try to claim that. TS4 suffers from being a mulitplayer game salvaged from the trash. It's engine and design don't allow for things neatly packaged like terrain tools, automobiles, and expanded, deeper personalities like in 2 and 3, and or can't go without slot popping etc. If anyone thinks Maxis can build a very, very good single player and Multiplayer together they really haven't been looking at TS4 at all. Lessons learned? I think no, or they wouldn't want to revisit TSO experiment. Stardew multiplayer parts, visiting another's farm... TS3's Simport proves they can't do it right and haven't learned anything. I mean it was years later after TSO and still subpar 'visting'. Couldn't even save or quit, and The Sims was never meant to be a reward system for the player, but about the Sims, not us.
If anyone thinks it will be great take a look at The Sims mobile, The Sims Freeplay, and The Sims Social. What did they learn after TSO? Nothing, only how to manipulate for more money. But you are right EA is the strawman, they really shouldn't be blamed for everything.
The problem with that is the Engine. They will share the same engine. We know The Sims 4 has such a weak engine because it is a repurposed online game.
When they decide to make The Sims 5 online but have a single player mode too, they have to take the online part into account. This means that various sacrifices have to be made. They aren't going to make The Sims 5 two seperate games (one for online and one for offline). They will share the same engine and limitations.
They should stop being so stubborn. They know very well that the majority of our community is against the Sims being online, and do not want a The Sims 4 disaster to repeat itself. It's already bad enough that the end of this mess is still nowhere in sight. They really keep dragging this mess out.
I'm not saying I want TS5 to be online. It's the last thing I want. BUT it's been more than 10 years since they first created TS4's foundations (which was Olympus then). The problem with TS4 is that it was first meant to be online ONLY (or at least primarily, can't remember). A sims game that is only meant to be online obviously will be very different from a game that is meant to be single player only OR both. If they make TS5 I don't think they will commit the same mistake of making it online only, they will at least make it online and offline, like Stardew Valley. You can have your farm and play offline but you can also receive visits from friends or go to their farms and play with them. I think the sims team want to go down this route.
A lot changes in game technology with each passing year too and I don't think people realize that. Even if they were to use the same engine a lot can change if they make their base code differently from TS4. Loading screens between lots was not an engine limitation for example, it was a design decision, so were the "shell" apartments, etc.
But hey, if people want to express their disappointment, go for it. I guess I received these news differently because I was already expecting this to happen 100%, so I accepted it a long time ago. No amount of whining will change EA's mind, the only way you can change anything is with your wallet, but we all know people will still buy TS5, be it casual gamers or the most loyal simmers, so yeah, I'm just saying.
I think people shouldn't be complaining about the game having an online feature, I think we should come together and tell EA, "Hey, I'm only interested in the offline part, are you going to deliver that part too?", so at least we can be sure to have a good single player.
I think you have too much faith in EA and or Maxis. Telling them 'Hey, I'm only interested in the offline part'...did nothing for the Olympus project they did anyway though players had told them for years, No, no online features in the single player game. They ignored those voices and said they just had to convince the hard core bunch (Peter Moore's words). They ignored players of SC who had told them for years, no, no online features, but ignored it anyway and built SC2013. As much as they don't hear, or listen should give us all enough pause to know they aren't going to listen this time, either. The "hey, I'm only interested in the offline parts' fall on deaf ears over and over and a waste of breath. The kicker is they were not regretful for building SC213. In an article one of those developers made it plain they couldn't care less their core fanbase of SC all those years had left, he bragged about how many online players they had, boasted of it's success, and said he was in no way regretful of booting them out. That is Maxis today, as long as the money rolls in, no one cares what their long time customers wanted because after all there are so many newbies they can convince a bug is not a bug but a feature, and it's too hard to find a bug and or it's too hard to create an animation they should know now like the back of their hand, and or that a previous mesh wasn't used for a new couch and or dress or pants. It's so easy to convince someone new, who has no idea and why they won't miss the older generations who are wise to their shananagans.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
I think you have too much faith in EA and or Maxis.
I mean, no more than everyone here who is complaining about the online features, as if it would solve anything or make EA suddenly go "you know what? You are right!". I'm just trying to find a positive side on this sucky situation, I'm trying not to give up on this franchise that I have been playing for 20 years and grew up with. As long as there is a single player mode for TS5 there is still hope it can be a good game, or at least better than TS4 in many aspects.
Telling them 'Hey, I'm only interested in the offline part'...did nothing for the Olympus project they did anyway though players had told them for years, No, no online features in the single player game. They ignored those voices and said they just had to convince the hard core bunch (Peter Moore's words). They ignored players of SC who had told them for years, no, no online features, but ignored it anyway and built SC2013. As much as they don't hear, or listen should give us all enough pause to know they aren't going to listen this time, either. The "hey, I'm only interested in the offline parts' fall on deaf ears over and over and a waste of breath. The kicker is they were not regretful for building SC213. In an article one of those developers made it plain they couldn't care less their core fanbase of SC all those years had left, he bragged about how many online players they had, boasted of it's success, and said he was in no way regretful of booting them out. That is Maxis today, as long as the money rolls in, no one cares what their long time customers wanted because after all there are so many newbies they can convince a bug is not a bug but a feature, and it's too hard to find a bug and or it's too hard to create an animation they should know now like the back of their hand, and or that a previous mesh wasn't used for a new couch and or dress or pants. It's so easy to convince someone new, who has no idea and why they won't miss the older generations who are wise to their shananagans.
I know full well how EA operates. You're preaching to the choir. That is not the point. The fact that SimCity was a disaster should tell them that Sims games that are online only, or at least primarily, will end up in disaster. That's why they scrapped the idea of Olympus and made TS4, a single player only game. Even though that had consequences for TS4 as a single player, better late than never. Imagine if they went ahead and made Olympus anyway.
But sooner or later they were going to add an online side to a Sims game. It was inevitable. It's a type of game that many people would enjoy playing with other people, and EA knows it. But this idea that a game will instantly fail just because it will have online features is silly. Already gave the example of Stardew Valley, but single player games like Mass Effect 3 also had multiplayer and it didn't ruin the game. The question is if they make the online side a bonus or a priority.
If people are just going to throw their hands up and say "if it has anything online about it, I'm out" and not focus on the offline part and give feedback on that, then EA has won. That's exactly what they want, the "bad apples" to go away and get off their tail. They don't care if they lose a few fans, the casual and new fans will make up for it. But at the same time, they did try to improve TS4 throughout the years, like adding toddlers. They didn't need to do that, and yet they made sure to really nail them as the community wanted. So there's a chance that they won't show the middle finger to their most loyal fans and actually remember what made this franchise so popular in the first place. So yeah, I'm sorry if I'm not ready to give up on this franchise yet.
edit: Jesus, the amount of normal words that are censored on this forum is ridiculous.
I don't think that they should do it honestly. Technically you could have a "play with friends" mode and I would be intrigued in online competitions tab, or something, but I have little hope that EA will get singleplayer right on its own and doing this on top would just complicate their workload and take their focus away from getting the game right to begin with.
If sims is going to go online I recommend it to be separate from the main sims games that come out aka sims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; that way the people that want sims 5 to be single player can have it in single player while sims online would be something like sims online 2 or something like that.
If you are interested in challenges; check out the Reincarnation challenge right at this link! here!| If you want spectator mode; go to this link. (for sims 3) here
But hey, if people want to express their disappointment, go for it. I guess I received these news differently because I was already expecting this to happen 100%, so I accepted it a long time ago. No amount of whining will change EA's mind, the only way you can change anything is with your wallet, but we all know people will still buy TS5, be it casual gamers or the most loyal simmers, so yeah, I'm just saying.
You know, people keep repeating that we buy TS stuff no matter what over and over, but I don't think that's true. If it was, EA wouldn't have had to give away TS4's base game for free - or put the packs out on constant sale. TS1, TS2, or TS3 basegames have never been given away free (maybe with a computer or some such but not on the same scale as TS4) or have their packs put on constant sales. TS3 still sells well even though it's not on sale anywhere near as much as TS4. Also, if TS2 and TS1 were still sold, they would do very well also. TS2 in particular is similar, even better than TS4, and that's one of the reasons they took it off the market.
But hey, if people want to express their disappointment, go for it. I guess I received these news differently because I was already expecting this to happen 100%, so I accepted it a long time ago. No amount of whining will change EA's mind, the only way you can change anything is with your wallet, but we all know people will still buy TS5, be it casual gamers or the most loyal simmers, so yeah, I'm just saying.
You know, people keep repeating that we buy TS stuff no matter what over and over, but I don't think that's true. If it was, EA wouldn't have had to give away TS4's base game for free - or put the packs out on constant sale. TS1, TS2, or TS3 basegames have never been given away free (maybe with a computer or some such but not on the same scale as TS4) or have their packs put on constant sales. TS3 still sells well even though it's not on sale anywhere near as much as TS4. Also, if TS2 and TS1 were still sold, they would do very well also. TS2 in particular is similar, even better than TS4, and that's one of the reasons they took it off the market.
I think people say this (myself included even though I probably don't even own half the packs in TS4) because so many people have confessed time and again in a number of threads, twitter and instagram that they indeed, do buy them all "even if I hate it because I need to have them all" "am a completionist" "I'm loyal and will support them no matter what" are just even a few recents I can remember seeing.
I realize not everyone buys them all, but it is easy to lump a large group into that just because they actually do tell us that they do, all of the time. I do feel like though, those numbers seem to be dwindling. I see a lot more people confessing lately that they "used to buy them all". That's a bit of a different term now. That should send some alarm bells off around HQ that some things need to change, but I really don't think they're listening to us anymore.
I do tend to agree with you and think all the recent sales are to try to attract new customers and get some of us back into the game more often though. I really don't think this iteration is doing as well as they would like to have us believe. I didn't think removing TS2 had anything to do with a conspiracy like you make it sound, however... now I do!
But hey, if people want to express their disappointment, go for it. I guess I received these news differently because I was already expecting this to happen 100%, so I accepted it a long time ago. No amount of whining will change EA's mind, the only way you can change anything is with your wallet, but we all know people will still buy TS5, be it casual gamers or the most loyal simmers, so yeah, I'm just saying.
You know, people keep repeating that we buy TS stuff no matter what over and over, but I don't think that's true. If it was, EA wouldn't have had to give away TS4's base game for free - or put the packs out on constant sale. TS1, TS2, or TS3 basegames have never been given away free (maybe with a computer or some such but not on the same scale as TS4) or have their packs put on constant sales. TS3 still sells well even though it's not on sale anywhere near as much as TS4. Also, if TS2 and TS1 were still sold, they would do very well also. TS2 in particular is similar, even better than TS4, and that's one of the reasons they took it off the market.
I think people say this (myself included even though I probably don't even own half the packs in TS4) because so many people have confessed time and again in a number of threads, twitter and instagram that they indeed, do buy them all "even if I hate it because I need to have them all" "am a completionist" "I'm loyal and will support them no matter what" are just even a few recents I can remember seeing.
I realize not everyone buys them all, but it is easy to lump a large group into that just because they actually do tell us that they do, all of the time. I do feel like though, those numbers seem to be dwindling. I see a lot more people confessing lately that they "used to buy them all". That's a bit of a different term now. That should send some alarm bells off around HQ that some things need to change, but I really don't think they're listening to us anymore.
I do tend to agree with you and think all the recent sales are to try to attract new customers and get some of us back into the game more often though. I really don't think this iteration is doing as well as they would like to have us believe. I didn't think removing TS2 had anything to do with a conspiracy like you make it sound, however... now I do!
The TS2 Ultimate Collection was REALLY popular. Here is an article about EA ending its code support:
Fortunately for me,I bought the physical originals back during TS2's run and was able to get the TS2 Ultimate Collection free before they stopped the support.
But hey, if people want to express their disappointment, go for it. I guess I received these news differently because I was already expecting this to happen 100%, so I accepted it a long time ago. No amount of whining will change EA's mind, the only way you can change anything is with your wallet, but we all know people will still buy TS5, be it casual gamers or the most loyal simmers, so yeah, I'm just saying.
You know, people keep repeating that we buy TS stuff no matter what over and over, but I don't think that's true. If it was, EA wouldn't have had to give away TS4's base game for free - or put the packs out on constant sale. TS1, TS2, or TS3 basegames have never been given away free (maybe with a computer or some such but not on the same scale as TS4) or have their packs put on constant sales. TS3 still sells well even though it's not on sale anywhere near as much as TS4. Also, if TS2 and TS1 were still sold, they would do very well also. TS2 in particular is similar, even better than TS4, and that's one of the reasons they took it off the market.
Like it was mentioned already, many people all over the internet admit buying certain packs just because they liked one or two items, or because they want to have all the packs or whatever reason. And I think it's such a toxic behavior, to complain about how EA handles TS4 but still fully support them by giving your money. But oh well.
I think the reason why they give the base game away for free or at really cheap prices is because they hope people will get addicted to the game and want to buy the packs. TS4 is probably doing well enough because of all the packs they put out in comparison to previous games. Don't forget that if you bought all the SPs on release, then you have spent 160$ on SPs alone. That is the price of nearly THREE full games and they earned that from thousands of people by selling packs that have little effort put into them. So yeah, I think TS4 is doing rather well.
But hey, if people want to express their disappointment, go for it. I guess I received these news differently because I was already expecting this to happen 100%, so I accepted it a long time ago. No amount of whining will change EA's mind, the only way you can change anything is with your wallet, but we all know people will still buy TS5, be it casual gamers or the most loyal simmers, so yeah, I'm just saying.
You know, people keep repeating that we buy TS stuff no matter what over and over, but I don't think that's true. If it was, EA wouldn't have had to give away TS4's base game for free - or put the packs out on constant sale. TS1, TS2, or TS3 basegames have never been given away free (maybe with a computer or some such but not on the same scale as TS4) or have their packs put on constant sales. TS3 still sells well even though it's not on sale anywhere near as much as TS4. Also, if TS2 and TS1 were still sold, they would do very well also. TS2 in particular is similar, even better than TS4, and that's one of the reasons they took it off the market.
Like it was mentioned already, many people all over the internet admit buying certain packs just because they liked one or two items, or because they want to have all the packs or whatever reason. And I think it's such a toxic behavior, to complain about how EA handles TS4 but still fully support them by giving your money. But oh well.
I think the reason why they give the base game away for free or at really cheap prices is because they hope people will get addicted to the game and want to buy the packs. TS4 is probably doing well enough because of all the packs they put out in comparison to previous games. Don't forget that if you bought all the SPs on release, then you have spent 160$ on SPs alone. That is the price of nearly THREE full games and they earned that from thousands of people by selling packs that have little effort put into them. So yeah, I think TS4 is doing rather well.
You're forgetting that most people no longer buy the packs at release, especially the ones coming out now because they are so underwhelming. That's why the packs are constantly on sale. That just tells me that TS4 is not doing well. Also EA has increased prices for TS3 - which doesn't go on sale anywhere near as much - because people are still willing to buy it even at higher prices. THAT tells me that even 10 years out, TS3 is still selling well.
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The problem with that is the Engine. They will share the same engine. We know The Sims 4 has such a weak engine because it is a repurposed online game.
When they decide to make The Sims 5 online but have a single player mode too, they have to take the online part into account. This means that various sacrifices have to be made. They aren't going to make The Sims 5 two seperate games (one for online and one for offline). They will share the same engine and limitations.
They should stop being so stubborn. They know very well that the majority of our community is against the Sims being online, and do not want a The Sims 4 disaster to repeat itself. It's already bad enough that the end of this mess is still nowhere in sight. They really keep dragging this mess out.
Fortnite boss says game loot boxes 'cause harm'
....Epic Games's co-founder has called for the end of pay-to-play "loot boxes" in video games.
Tim Sweeney argues the gaming industry is profiting from "doing customers harm". .............
...;"Do we want to be like Las Vegas, with slot machines or do we want to be widely respected as creators of products that customers can trust? I think we will see more and more publishers move away from loot boxes."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51502592
And their money.
I would be 100% ok with a "sims online" and a "sims 5". People could pick which way they would play. My biggest concern with online features is the game engine so I really don't want to see TS5 as some kind of combined hybrid of a game. TS4 suffers because it should have been online. I don't want to see that for TS5, and if it does, well then that's TS4 and more of the same and I'm over and done with that nonsense.
I don't think console mmorpgs are a thing of the past are they? Maybe the next Maxis venture isn't for pc gamers at all? Maybe it is that tablet game they have been dreaming about all these years. They didn't care at all they shut down SC2013 and went with a mobile version instead, I think that was the plan all along. I think the Maxis Mobile has more influence than we know since they were merged to be more of the overseer of all things Maxis.
History repeats itself.
agree
the sims 4 was meant to be an online game, they scrapped it. we got left with its pieces at the sims 4 launch.
forgive me EA if not excited for yet another online game idea
yep
I'm not saying I want TS5 to be online. It's the last thing I want. BUT it's been more than 10 years since they first created TS4's foundations (which was Olympus then). The problem with TS4 is that it was first meant to be online ONLY (or at least primarily, can't remember). A sims game that is only meant to be online obviously will be very different from a game that is meant to be single player only OR both. If they make TS5 I don't think they will commit the same mistake of making it online only, they will at least make it online and offline, like Stardew Valley. You can have your farm and play offline but you can also receive visits from friends or go to their farms and play with them. I think the sims team want to go down this route.
A lot changes in game technology with each passing year too and I don't think people realize that. Even if they were to use the same engine a lot can change if they make their base code differently from TS4. Loading screens between lots was not an engine limitation for example, it was a design decision, so were the "shell" apartments, etc.
But hey, if people want to express their disappointment, go for it. I guess I received these news differently because I was already expecting this to happen 100%, so I accepted it a long time ago. No amount of whining will change EA's mind, the only way you can change anything is with your wallet, but we all know people will still buy TS5, be it casual gamers or the most loyal simmers, so yeah, I'm just saying.
I think people shouldn't be complaining about the game having an online feature, I think we should come together and tell EA, "Hey, I'm only interested in the offline part, are you going to deliver that part too?", so at least we can be sure to have a good single player.
You want to go to your friends , sorry our servers cannot manage that , you can only visit people who have rented near you on the same server ,
You want better clothes , nicer hairs , better furniture , no you cannot mod it , now stop moaning and play with all the bugs we cannot fix because we have no modders to do it for us .
Oh look its failed , we are closing our servers down no matter how much real money you have put in the game . Hard luck but do buy the sims 6 (shallowest version ever )
I think you have too much faith in EA and or Maxis. Telling them 'Hey, I'm only interested in the offline part'...did nothing for the Olympus project they did anyway though players had told them for years, No, no online features in the single player game. They ignored those voices and said they just had to convince the hard core bunch (Peter Moore's words). They ignored players of SC who had told them for years, no, no online features, but ignored it anyway and built SC2013. As much as they don't hear, or listen should give us all enough pause to know they aren't going to listen this time, either. The "hey, I'm only interested in the offline parts' fall on deaf ears over and over and a waste of breath. The kicker is they were not regretful for building SC213. In an article one of those developers made it plain they couldn't care less their core fanbase of SC all those years had left, he bragged about how many online players they had, boasted of it's success, and said he was in no way regretful of booting them out. That is Maxis today, as long as the money rolls in, no one cares what their long time customers wanted because after all there are so many newbies they can convince a bug is not a bug but a feature, and it's too hard to find a bug and or it's too hard to create an animation they should know now like the back of their hand, and or that a previous mesh wasn't used for a new couch and or dress or pants. It's so easy to convince someone new, who has no idea and why they won't miss the older generations who are wise to their shananagans.
I mean, no more than everyone here who is complaining about the online features, as if it would solve anything or make EA suddenly go "you know what? You are right!". I'm just trying to find a positive side on this sucky situation, I'm trying not to give up on this franchise that I have been playing for 20 years and grew up with. As long as there is a single player mode for TS5 there is still hope it can be a good game, or at least better than TS4 in many aspects.
I know full well how EA operates. You're preaching to the choir. That is not the point. The fact that SimCity was a disaster should tell them that Sims games that are online only, or at least primarily, will end up in disaster. That's why they scrapped the idea of Olympus and made TS4, a single player only game. Even though that had consequences for TS4 as a single player, better late than never. Imagine if they went ahead and made Olympus anyway.
But sooner or later they were going to add an online side to a Sims game. It was inevitable. It's a type of game that many people would enjoy playing with other people, and EA knows it. But this idea that a game will instantly fail just because it will have online features is silly. Already gave the example of Stardew Valley, but single player games like Mass Effect 3 also had multiplayer and it didn't ruin the game. The question is if they make the online side a bonus or a priority.
If people are just going to throw their hands up and say "if it has anything online about it, I'm out" and not focus on the offline part and give feedback on that, then EA has won. That's exactly what they want, the "bad apples" to go away and get off their tail. They don't care if they lose a few fans, the casual and new fans will make up for it. But at the same time, they did try to improve TS4 throughout the years, like adding toddlers. They didn't need to do that, and yet they made sure to really nail them as the community wanted. So there's a chance that they won't show the middle finger to their most loyal fans and actually remember what made this franchise so popular in the first place. So yeah, I'm sorry if I'm not ready to give up on this franchise yet.
edit: Jesus, the amount of normal words that are censored on this forum is ridiculous.
I don't think that they should do it honestly. Technically you could have a "play with friends" mode and I would be intrigued in online competitions tab, or something, but I have little hope that EA will get singleplayer right on its own and doing this on top would just complicate their workload and take their focus away from getting the game right to begin with.
There's THREE reasons to conclude that the DEV-team would change the game completely when it's so loved as it is already ...
- My-Page: Memory-Stories be sure to go chronological, by clicking on "Date" instead of Memory or Action
- Stories and Such – Sims 3 Stories by DivinylsFan (bobbiedivsworks.com) includes a couple of Sims 2 entries and some of my music.
I remember you from university, I still have your story.You know, people keep repeating that we buy TS stuff no matter what over and over, but I don't think that's true. If it was, EA wouldn't have had to give away TS4's base game for free - or put the packs out on constant sale. TS1, TS2, or TS3 basegames have never been given away free (maybe with a computer or some such but not on the same scale as TS4) or have their packs put on constant sales. TS3 still sells well even though it's not on sale anywhere near as much as TS4. Also, if TS2 and TS1 were still sold, they would do very well also. TS2 in particular is similar, even better than TS4, and that's one of the reasons they took it off the market.
I think people say this (myself included even though I probably don't even own half the packs in TS4) because so many people have confessed time and again in a number of threads, twitter and instagram that they indeed, do buy them all "even if I hate it because I need to have them all" "am a completionist" "I'm loyal and will support them no matter what" are just even a few recents I can remember seeing.
I realize not everyone buys them all, but it is easy to lump a large group into that just because they actually do tell us that they do, all of the time. I do feel like though, those numbers seem to be dwindling. I see a lot more people confessing lately that they "used to buy them all". That's a bit of a different term now. That should send some alarm bells off around HQ that some things need to change, but I really don't think they're listening to us anymore.
I do tend to agree with you and think all the recent sales are to try to attract new customers and get some of us back into the game more often though. I really don't think this iteration is doing as well as they would like to have us believe. I didn't think removing TS2 had anything to do with a conspiracy like you make it sound, however... now I do!
The TS2 Ultimate Collection was REALLY popular. Here is an article about EA ending its code support:
Fortunately for me,I bought the physical originals back during TS2's run and was able to get the TS2 Ultimate Collection free before they stopped the support.
Like it was mentioned already, many people all over the internet admit buying certain packs just because they liked one or two items, or because they want to have all the packs or whatever reason. And I think it's such a toxic behavior, to complain about how EA handles TS4 but still fully support them by giving your money. But oh well.
I think the reason why they give the base game away for free or at really cheap prices is because they hope people will get addicted to the game and want to buy the packs. TS4 is probably doing well enough because of all the packs they put out in comparison to previous games. Don't forget that if you bought all the SPs on release, then you have spent 160$ on SPs alone. That is the price of nearly THREE full games and they earned that from thousands of people by selling packs that have little effort put into them. So yeah, I think TS4 is doing rather well.
You're forgetting that most people no longer buy the packs at release, especially the ones coming out now because they are so underwhelming. That's why the packs are constantly on sale. That just tells me that TS4 is not doing well. Also EA has increased prices for TS3 - which doesn't go on sale anywhere near as much - because people are still willing to buy it even at higher prices. THAT tells me that even 10 years out, TS3 is still selling well.