The latest update for The Sims 4 is now live. Click here to read the latest notes.
Its time for the final screenshot thread! Show us what ya got here!
Forum Announcement, Click Here to Read More From EA_Cade.
How many more years of TS4?
aiex
Posts: 103 Member
Does anybody know how many more years of TS4 we will have?
By this, I simply mean when are developers going to stop working on it all together, and start working on a new project.
It's been out for years, and we're only just getting our fourth expansion pack on November 10th.
Also, how many expansion packs do you think TS4 will have all together?
I'm thinking we'll have less EPs than other series, only because in TS4 we were introduced to GPs.
By this, I simply mean when are developers going to stop working on it all together, and start working on a new project.
It's been out for years, and we're only just getting our fourth expansion pack on November 10th.
Also, how many expansion packs do you think TS4 will have all together?
I'm thinking we'll have less EPs than other series, only because in TS4 we were introduced to GPs.
6
Comments
2024?
2018: Seasons?
2019: University?
2020: Farming?
2021:Vacation? We could get it chopped up in game packs. So... new theme?
2022:Supernatural? We could get it chopped up in game packs too. So... new theme?
2023: Future Technology?
2024: Superstar?
It could go on for a while.
I going ti bet 7
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
Since many Simmers "invest" in this game, they'd be incredibly disappointed if the developers left it unfinished, regardless of how many of those same people are looking forward to TS5. What we've come to expect is that by the end of the lifespan of a Sims game, we have a "complete" (or complete enough) life simulator. Moving on too quickly to the next iteration of the game would affront a lot of people.
I'm also wondering - how many times can EA go through (basically) the same game? Yes, they're all different and both TS2 and TS3 offered some sort of progress. With TS4 (as much as I'm enjoying it), the game feels like it's stagnating. There's nothing really new about it other than CAS (and maybe emotions - but arguably moodlets in TS3 fulfilled that same function). Yes, many details are more fleshed out (restaurants, vampires, toddlers...). But this isn't really progress.
If anything, this attention to detail and quality over quantity makes me think the developers are trying to prolong the lifespan of this iteration as much as they can - until technology not only provides radically different approaches to a Sims game (such as VR which I'm sort of on the fence about) but is actually popular and affordable enough for casual gamers (which supposedly many Simmers are).
And lastly, it might be much more lucrative to keep releasing expansions to an existing game rather than developing a new game altogether (especially if content is broken down into smaller packs such as GPs).
There's no point asking for Sims 5 while it's just going to be Sims 4-and-a-bit. In a few years it can be more than that.
Let's see how many simmers decide to support a sims 5 if they leave sims 4 unfinished without content like Seasons, Supernatural, University etc. How many people do you honestly think would support another series when they could just abandon that too?
Good thing the Devs have already said that they will keep making content for sims 4 until it stops making sense, and luckily sims 4 is selling very well.
You've got sims 3 to hold you over
When the ocean rises, the tides will roll in.
When the dust rises, the sand will roll in.
When the heat rises, people high up in the air will get frustratingly hot.
There is no punchline.
Open world coming in Xmas 2027!
Just ten years until TS4 is complete!
If that's true, I bet they're already getting the ball rolling on 5 and I would be willing to bet we'd see an announcement about 18 months before release.
But I agree with @Yoko2112 - I don't want to see 4 end before it's complete because imagine the rage. Just let Simmers enjoy what they enjoy!
TS4 still needs a lot of work in my opinion and there are a lot of key/important pieces still missing. I really hope they don't rush to finish it just to release TS5 in the year of their 20th anniversary. That would guarantee we only get half-baked production, which a lot of people feel is already the case so I definitely don't want it to get any worse.
@a_niles06 - how does that guarantee that? If you look at what's in previous games - what's missing for major EPs - staple ones? Seasons? University? They've already shown that they can bring out supernatural in GPs - how many of those do they do in a year?
I think they've got time to complete TS4 in 3 years especially in the way that have been splitting up content into different types of packs.
Never said it guarantees anything. Simply said I don't see them wrapping it up in 3 years.
I agree - some of that content is going to be split into smaller GPs or even free updates, I imagine. But I just don't see EA giving up on it that fast, especially with only one EP release a year. It made sense for TS3 and TS2 to wrap up in 4 years because they released 2, sometimes 3, EPs a year.
We have no guarantee they'll release all supernaturals in individual packs - aliens came with an EP, vampires came on their own and ghosts came in a free update so there hasn't been a consistent type of release with supernaturals. And let's not forget the "plant sims" - we didn't even technically get those, just the option to be one temporarily. They could be planning a supernatural EP for the rest of them (or do the stupid thing they did with vampires in TS3 where they already released them but just "improved" them for the EP) which alone would eliminate what many speculate would be at least another 2-3 GPs. Also, with regard to supernaturals, while I can see them adding in werewolves, witches and possibly fairies or genies, I don't know that I see mermaids coming back since we can't swim in the water. If that gets added, maybe. I also don't know if I see things like imaginary friends, zombies, mummies or any of those other smaller supernaturals making a comeback. If they don't, then at most we're looking at maybe 2-3 possible supernatural GPs if that.
We've only been given one vacation type of GP so far so we have no baseline to go by for how those will be released. My guess is we won't see any of that until after seasons are in game, and that's assuming we'll get a dedicated Seasons EP. If they flesh out the vacation worlds and release an individual snowy mountain retreat GP, we will obviously either need a seasons EP before then or the snow would have to come in an update or with that GP.
As for other staples, for some people the showtime/superstar type of gameplay is a staple and we really don't have much yet in the way of superstar gameplay. And forget about old content, some players want new content like farming, superheroes, etc. I could be wrong and they could wrap it up by 2020, but I just really don't see them finishing the game with only 7 EPs if they really only do 1 a year for the next 3 years. But who knows. The way they've distributed content hasn't been super consistent so it's hard to speculate what they will/won't do.
You said if they rush to wrap it up by 2020, that guarantees a half baked product @a_niles06. Of course, if the emphasis should be on the rush part and not the year in which it finishes, then yes, I do agree with you. A rush on anything = a half baked product; however, if you're simply saying they couldn't possibly fit everything in in 3 years, well, that's where my question stemmed from.
I agree that many want new content, too, but that for certain isn't guaranteed - they could feed bits and pieces into packs and call them new features without ever making a dedicated pack for new content.
But like you said, it is hard to speculate.
No one knows, but I honestly believe it gets next year before they are done with it and move on. It's not Sims Social, Sims Mobile and or Sims Free Play so it has it's limits just like any other pc game. Those games can last for years. Heck, TS3 lasted for years, but I think EA was just about done with Maxis and Sim City developers until they came out with online projects they could 'green light'. So, though we didn't want online Sim City, or online TS4/Olympus Project etc., it saved Maxis because EA didn't want to green light anything that wasn't online and MMO.
I think they are still headed in that direction and didn't learn any lessens just thinking 'maybe next time' but still have plans since they know Simmers are a hardcore bunch (as their COO has said) and won't give in to online, but as soon as they get all this generation hooked on Sims, they will be able to build that idea of an online MMO, and TS4 will be history. Just as soon as all us veterans die out and leave this generation to buy online Sims MMO.
ETA: They could wrap it up next year, with a GP and an EP. Seasons and University could be created in either one of those, so don't go thinking it has years and years, University would be a good project for a GP and then they could be done. ETA: I don't expect any 'new' EP idea coming to TS4. Get to work and Get Together, were watered down Nighlife and OFB, so they are still sticking to those old EPs with a new twist. University could be attend school in your own home town..you never know.
Aah, yes, the emphasis is on the idea of rushing it to meet a specific year just for the sake of releasing TS5 in the anniversary year. If we want/push them to rush it, we will most likely get half-baked product.
Yes, I think the lack of a consistent releases is what also gives me the idea they plan to let TS4 stretch as long as possible. If they were consistently following a strict release schedule, I think I'd be more inclined to believe/see it wrapping up in a few years. As I said, I could end up being totally wrong - it'll be interesting to see how it plays out! Ultimately I just can't see them stopping with only 7 EPs and letting their small SPs/GPs be what truly carries the game. But maybe I'll be wrong.
The other thing I think people often forget (myself included) is that, if TS5 were really to release in 2020, production on TS4 would probably end in 2019 (typically in the series the final release for a generation of the game comes out the year before the next generation does). This means we actually would only have 2 more EPs if they continue with 1 a year. Only 6 EPs total for TS4? I just don't see it. But we'll see what happens! A lot can change in 2 years.