Here's what we need to know (and speculate about) from the blog post:
- Devs are working on the Community Stuff pack. "I can’t tell you its name, because we have not voted on that yet, but I saw the list of options last week, and I have no idea which one you all will choose. I’m anxious to find out."
- "We are also hard at work on our next Expansion Pack. I’m super excited about the theme the team has chosen—I think it will be a surprise to many of you." -> There is a rather small group that won't be surprised but most people will be -> it's probably not a Farming pack nor Generations. I'm guessing Supernatural EP or Hobbies EP.
- "The team has also been hard at work on some new surprise additions we plan to bring to the game over the summer. They are not massive changes, but they are pretty cool ones that I think you will have a ton of fun with." -> We'll get new stuff in Patches coming over the summer. To give you a rough scale about what we're getting, we got the Freelancer career in a summer Patch last year. Other features we got in patches were the first-person camera view, odd jobs, that Alexa thing, etc.
- "Another group on our team is currently focused on our next Game Pack. This pack is a major first for us, and we are super eager to share it with all of you later this year." -> This GP being a major first probably means that we won't get any occults nor destination vacations. I'm taking a bet to say that it's a Singer/Band GP or something but we'll have to see.
- "Lastly, we have been working on some fun ways to Stay Home and Play Together. No, we are not doing multiplayer. We want to help our community of players connect with each other (and us!) in this time of social distancing. As part of that, we Gurus want a chance to share more with you." -> Probably a revamp of Maxis Occasionally Maxis Monthly/Guru Games streams. ++ some other stuff to keep us busy.
The blog post implies that the Release order will be almost the same as last year:
In 2019 we had: Freelancer patch -> bugfix patch -> OffTheGrid Pre-EP patch -> Island Living EP -> Create a Sim: Story Mode + UI revamp Pre-SP patch-> Moschino SP -> L-shaped stairs Pre-GP patch -> bugfix patch -> Bugfix patch
For this year we'll have (this is my speculation btw): <Medium patch> -> <Bugfix patch> -> <Medium Pre-EP patch> -> Hobbies EP -> <Bugfix Pre-SP patch> -> Community SP -> Singing skill and Instruments Revamp + for Instruments Pre-GP patch -> Singer/Bands GP
But speculation aside, I'm hoping the team isn't going too far with the whole Surprise theme thing. Strangervile shows us that "Surprise themed" packs get mixed reviews and making them is a big gamble. They should stop doing these and make new packs based on Community surveys (like the one we got in January) instead. Otherwise, they risk losing a rather large part of the community and not getting enough revenue.
Comments
https://imgur.com/rloRGlB
A Supernatural EP is definitely not happening now that the two most popular occults, vampires and witches, are in its own packs. The other life states like werewolves and fairies are not anywhere popular enough to warrant a whole EP.
A Hobbies EP isn’t likely either. FreeTime was like the only hobbies pack we’ve had and it’s easily one of the least popular TS2 EPs. With TS4 they generally stick to packs with very clear and specific themes. A Hobbies pack is basically a random assortment of gameplay objects without a clear focus.
I agree that it’s not Farming or Generations. Farming is probably the most requested EP right now; it’s anything but surprising. I also don’t think they seriously considered Farming until 2018 when many people started to request it (Farming has never been on a Maxis EP survey for example). Timing-wise it wouldn’t work very well since they plan three years ahead. As for Generations, SimGuruGrant essentially told us they wouldn’t do it again as TS3 Generations didn’t sell very well. Generations also suffers from the problem of not having a clear focus. It’s mainly just adding a bunch of random activities to all age groups. In contrast, TS4 Parenthood had a very clear focus (parenting).
At this point I cannot even speculate what it might be.
I think a superhero pack would be surprising and popular because of marvel though I have no interest.
If they were to do a fairytale pack, that might justify having both in the same pack. I don't know if they've done one before, or what else would be in said pack. But I do agree that neither one on their own is enough to justify a whole EP, and probably even doing the two together is a stretch.
I'm not interested in a superhero EP either, I'd rather they give us what's lacking first.
I would like a school pack, Generations, Farming, or something with horses. AND CARS !! I would like hobbies too.
They asked pretty specific questions about a skiing vacation pack and winter activities in the survey....
Things I'm not interested in : Futuristic EP, Bands, Weird stuff, superheroes, etc
I would want a Showtime/Singing/Bands/Stage Performances EP or Farming/Eco-Living EP, and a occult GP. Maybe Werefolk, or Fairies.
No cars, no updated babies, no personality overhauls etc as updates.
Basically dry until June when they drop the EP..
I am still hoping for farming and maybe a dating/ romance gp. Or another city like San Myshuno, I just love the city and I need some more apartments^^ I can't imagine what the unexpected theme will be though.. Safari? A get to work 2.0?
An overhaul for school and some long time wanted stuff (burglars, firefighters etc) would be nice as a free update. I also could imagine something like Newcrest, new living space for new homes.
Anyways, I am looking forward to everything new, kinda sad that it will take some months still. I am impatient waiting for something new.
The Sims 4 hasn't introduced a new musical instrument since 2017
completely forget about ts4 until we stumble by it accidentally a year later when they release the trailer for the GP
I'm also eager for them to add cars, online dating (like Sims 3), burglars, fire department, police department, more takeout options. A school pack, farming or theme park pack would be interesting.
What can be done besides of this? I have no idea atm...
Maybe a Victorian pack or some other past time period.
Probably not werewolves, but we did just get witches so no surprise there is a wait there.
It does not seem to me that the few clues given point to farming, unless they are doing it a lot differently than people expect.
If at some point they give us only one and not the other, I'll be mad, because the big thing they don't want to have to change for both is the ladder climbing animation, I think. If they did that animation for say, bunk beds, and then they didn't give us ladders to get to another story of the house because it was "too much for one pack", that will be ridiculous.
When I found out that tiny living was a choice between bunk beds, ladders, and murphy beds, and they chose murphy beds!!!! I actually just didn't buy the pack ):
At least bunk beds would not kill the sims.
Oh! I just had the thought. maybe the EP is a time travel EP with both past and future travel.
Hope it's an Island Living Sequel.
A winter vacation pack is missing and has been mentioned on the survey. A themepark pack is also missing.