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What do young people want?

dearie_blossomdearie_blossom Posts: 707 Member
edited September 2020 in The Sims 4 Game Feedback
Everytime the community is dissatisfied with the theme of a pack I keep hearing that EA is marketing to the new generation, that they want to attract younger players. It makes sense to bring in a new player base but is what The Sims 4 Team delivering lately really what 13 year old girls want?

The things that I liked in the Sims game as a teen and now in my mid/late 20s is pretty much the same: romance, going on vacation, becoming a celebrity and starting a family. Are modern teenagers really that different? If they got to choose between a Star Wars GP and a Generations GP would they really choose Star Wars?

In my opinion young simmers and old simmers aren‘t different at all when it comes to the content we like.
Post edited by EA_Joz on

Comments

  • KathykinsKathykins Posts: 1,881 Member
    I was in my 20's when I started playing TS1 in 2001. Like you, I pretty much wanted the same 20 years ago as I do now. More stuff, good build mode with a nice variety of styles, even more new stuff, lots of things for my sims to do and learn, a nice world to explore, friends/family etc. I'm buying every pack because I always want more CAS/BB stuff to play around with, especially when I'm on a building spree.

    I don't know what 13 year old girls would want from Sims now. I was 13 in 1982 many years before I had even SEEN a computer. I agree though, don't think age matters when it comes to what simmers want from the game.

    As for Star Wars....don't think releasing that pack rules out any Generations pack in the future. I don't remember how much longer they're planning on developing TS4. A year more? Maybe two?
  • RouensimsRouensims Posts: 4,858 Member
    edited September 2020
    I think modern young people have very different ideas about romance than older people did when they were young. Even among millenials, 31% don't want to get married. Here is a quote from an article about romance among Generation Z: “I’ve heard a joke on campus that goes something like this: ‘First base is hooking up, second base is talking, third base is going on a date and fourth base is dating.’" Young people are delaying marriage and children, while my mother had a baby and a husband when she was nineteen. Here is a quote from another article: "In a blossoming age of autonomy, our youngest generations are supplanting traditional predictors of success, like marriage and having children, with career-based ones."

    I suspect the game will continue to evolve away from the marriage, family, house model, since many young people won't have the desire to have a spouse or children, or the ability to own a house. I'm not saying this is a good thing for my play. I like playing house with my Sims. But I do think it's the future.
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  • FlyingPotato659FlyingPotato659 Posts: 1,473 Member
    edited September 2020
    That's a good question and I honestly never came across a TS4 player who happens to be under 16 though but it would be cool to hear their ideas on what they want in the game!

    I grew up with TS2 & TS3 during my teens, I didn't really complain a lot or share an idea as it already has the stuff I wanted unlike TS4.
  • Colton147147Colton147147 Posts: 10,453 Member
    Why not everything? o:)
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  • LiefLief Posts: 108 Member
    Sharonia wrote: »
    Adults are generally out of touch with teens. I mean look at the way they try to censor this game. Like they think teens don't know about alcohol, and adult humor like the previous games had. I've raised a teen and let me tell you something, they know way more stuff than adults like to think they do. :D

    The developers of this franchise aren't just out of touch with teens, they seem out of touch with most of the people that play this game and the Star Wars pack proves that. It's a life simulator game. It isn't and never was a mission based RPG game.

    hmm honestly starting to think of it i think the game demographic is milenals becuase thats why there is so many things for young adults
  • charmed4life4charmed4life4 Posts: 178 Member
    I just asked my sisters, 16 and 19. They said they are tired of stupid stuff being added to the game instead of what they want, better height categories/distinct age categories, allowing hair to grow so they can go get it cut, basically more real life stuff. The 20 year old said she gets EA/Maxis think their reaching her age group with packs like Eco Life, however most of them aren't into these niche packs. They said they like the family aspects, but more so the completionist in them makes them want to be able to have multiple families to work on completing all aspirations and other goal oriented things like that.

    It was insightful. I talk to my sisters about the Sims but we don't really get into what they specifically want to see for the game. Both were rather clear that Star Wars was a stupid move and they also questioned how it went through multiple people and not one person was like "no...don't do that". :D
  • charmed4life4charmed4life4 Posts: 178 Member
    Rouensims wrote: »
    I think modern young people have very different ideas about romance than older people did when they were young. Even among millenials, 31% don't want to get married. Here is a quote from an article about romance among Generation Z: “I’ve heard a joke on campus that goes something like this: ‘First base is hooking up, second base is talking, third base is going on a date and fourth base is dating.’" Young people are delaying marriage and children, while my mother had a baby and a husband when she was nineteen. Here is a quote from another article: "In a blossoming age of autonomy, our youngest generations are supplanting traditional predictors of success, like marriage and having children, with career-based ones."

    I suspect the game will continue to evolve away from the marriage, family, house model, since many young people won't have the desire to have a spouse or children, or the ability to own a house. I'm not saying this is a good thing for my play. I like playing house with my Sims. But I do think it's the future.

    In talking to my sisters (16 and 19) the married life doesn't keep them interested, but they also like to have the option to play it. I use Sims 4 for my "dream" life. It just was never right for me to marry and have a child young (I'm 29) because I wanted them to have everything I never did and I realize not all young marriages are successful, especially from individuals coming from my background. So my sims are having babies in their "late" teen stage or as soon as they hit young adults along with quickly working their way up in their fields.
  • RionAgriasRionAgrias Posts: 305 Member
    Do you know who in my family is most interested in Star Wars at the moment? My three-year-old niece. She's never seen a computer game.
  • ScobreScobre Posts: 20,665 Member
    Everytime the community is dissatisfied with the theme of a pack I keep hearing that EA is marketing to the new generation, that they want to attract younger players. It makes sense to bring in a new player base but is what The Sims 4 Team delivering lately really what 13 year old girls want?

    The things that I liked in the Sims game as a teen and now in my mid/late 20s is pretty much the same: romance, going on vacation, becoming a celebrity and starting a family. Are modern teenagers really that different? If they got to choose between a Star Wars GP and a Generations GP would they really choose Star Wars?

    In my opinion young simmers and old simmers aren‘t different at all when it comes to the content we like.
    What I noticed too. I have found many older people are getting divorced as much as younger people. I'm an adult and honestly have come across some adults that are more childish than teenagers, then come across teenagers that act older than they are too. Maturity varies upon the person and who their role models are. Had an interesting discussion on whether someone can separate the artist from their work with a group. I know that many younger people have more independent women that are able to support themselves and their parents which is nice to see. More things are exposed behind closed doors thanks to social media too, so censorship has come down a lot both in good ways and bad, *looking at you Twitter with how many times to the bathroom".

    My playstyle I notice varies from others which is interesting relates to a childhood and adolescence class I took in that depend on how someone is raised when little shapes the person they are later in life. People who are able to adapt with changes are having an easier dealing with covid and the natural disasters than those that are not and relates to whether someone wants the Sims franchise and even the life simulation genre to progress or not and improve with inclusivity. I respect Simmers who can grow with change and become better people even during the worst of times. So neat to see some blossom regardless of their age during this time.
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  • j1z1j1z1 Posts: 311 Member
    edited September 2020
    I was just as interested in Star Wars at 13 as I am now, so back then I would have welcomed a SW pack as much I did now (just not one that was all shells and rabbit holes lolol). I also would have absolutely downloaded WW and Basemental's mods at that age 100%, among others. My games overall would have probably been darker then than they are now, teen girls are twisted.

    I do check all those millennial boxes about straying away from traditional family ideals, but I don't know if that dictates how I like to play too much, since I like mixing it up. I have my sims both do things I would never want to do in real life (like raising five toddlers or getting attacked by spiders in the jungle) or could never get to do even if I wanted (like go to space or have magic powers). And some times I do simply want to enjoy some messy, young adult drama.

    I only play families every once in a while, but I'm not sure whether that's because I get bored with the whole notion of it OR because the game itself doesn't offer that much for children and teen sims to do.
  • nerdfashionnerdfashion Posts: 5,947 Member
    edited September 2020
    As someone who is in the target age group for the Sims, I can clarify that I think the Star Wars gamepack is the worst thing The Sims has ever come up with and should never, ever, EVER be done again in any way, shape, or form.

    If Star Wars was done well, then I would say yes to it over Generations though. That's just my playstyle, but it wasn't done well, it was done horribly, and so Generations would now much be preferred. Even a badly done one would be better
    than this mess.

    Edit:
    Finbar659 wrote: »
    That's a good question and I honestly never came across a TS4 player who happens to be under 16 though but it would be cool to hear their ideas on what they want in the game!

    I grew up with TS2 & TS3 during my teens, I didn't really complain a lot or share an idea as it already has the stuff I wanted unlike TS4.

    That's me! I'm personally most interested in fairies, werewolves, and a generations pack right now.
    funny-gifs20.gif

  • ChazzzyChazzzy Posts: 7,166 Member
    Apparently more build mode tools and a never ending selection of female clothes. Gameplay doesn’t matter much
  • MovottiMovotti Posts: 7,774 Member
    Young me wanted woohoo and violence.

    Older me still wants woohoo and violence, but also the dark humour of the previous versions, and the personalities of ts2 and ts3. And bands! Laundry and knitting before drums? What are the developers? Boring old farts?
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  • CorkysPetalsCorkysPetals Posts: 1,400 Member
    edited September 2020
    Keep in mind that there is a wide range of players with a wide range of interests. A variety of different kinds of packs allows us players to pick and choose what we add to our games. I could make a list of the packs I'm not interested in and it's probably different from yours.
    Post edited by CorkysPetals on
  • AyeffenAyeffen Posts: 258 Member
    Everytime the community is dissatisfied with the theme of a pack I keep hearing that EA is marketing to the new generation, that they want to attract younger players. It makes sense to bring in a new player base but is what The Sims 4 Team delivering lately really what 13 year old girls want?

    The things that I liked in the Sims game as a teen and now in my mid/late 20s is pretty much the same: romance, going on vacation, becoming a celebrity and starting a family. Are modern teenagers really that different? If they got to choose between a Star Wars GP and a Generations GP would they really choose Star Wars?

    In my opinion young simmers and old simmers aren‘t different at all when it comes to the content we like.

    I have to agree that I don't think I look for anything differently to how I did when I started playing. I think that as the features have evolved overtime our expectations have changed for sure.

    Rather than thinking about it from the POV of a generational difference, there are many many Star Wars fans (young and old) which might choose to try The Sims out for the first time ever. Ergo bringing a whole new set of potential customers into the fold.
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  • Alwe1507Alwe1507 Posts: 328 Member
    Hello! Male Millennial here. I would like a more in-depth connection within the game. I was chatting to my better half just last night about how TS4 hasn't held my interest quite like TS2 did! Have I "grown" out of it? Not sure. However, I think it's more the lack of meaningful gameplay and connections between Sims...
  • troshalomtroshalom Posts: 1,095 Member
    Sharonia wrote: »
    Adults are generally out of touch with teens. I mean look at the way they try to censor this game. Like they think teens don't know about alcohol, and adult humor like the previous games had. I've raised a teen and let me tell you something, they know way more stuff than adults like to think they do. :D

    The developers of this franchise aren't just out of touch with teens, they seem out of touch with most of the people that play this game and the Star Wars pack proves that. It's a life simulator game. It isn't and never was a mission based RPG game.

    Personally @Sharonia I don't want a WW or 1st person shooter experience in this game. There are more than enough games out there that have that level of violence and "adult" themes. I personally like the rated G/PG-13 nature of this game.
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  • SharoniaSharonia Posts: 4,853 Member
    edited September 2020
    troshalom wrote: »
    Sharonia wrote: »
    Adults are generally out of touch with teens. I mean look at the way they try to censor this game. Like they think teens don't know about alcohol, and adult humor like the previous games had. I've raised a teen and let me tell you something, they know way more stuff than adults like to think they do. :D

    The developers of this franchise aren't just out of touch with teens, they seem out of touch with most of the people that play this game and the Star Wars pack proves that. It's a life simulator game. It isn't and never was a mission based RPG game.

    Personally @Sharonia I don't want a WW or 1st person shooter experience in this game. There are more than enough games out there that have that level of violence and "adult" themes. I personally like the rated G/PG-13 nature of this game.

    I don't want that either. I'm not talking about violence or adult related content. I'm just saying that sims go out to bars, bars generally sell alcohol in them but our sims gain no mood altering effects from drinking at bars. It's as if they are drinking soda or water. Teens know about alcohol, they aren't stupid. I don't feel the game needs to be censored to this degree personally.

    The previous games had adult humor in them. It was nothing to crazy and definitely something that teens know about. There really was no reason for this kind of humor to have been left out of this current iteration.
  • TamakiSakura84TamakiSakura84 Posts: 543 Member
    edited September 2020
    Lief wrote: »
    hmm honestly starting to think of it i think the game demographic is milenals becuase thats why there is so many things for young adults

    More like EA's target is Gen Z. Millennials are mostly in their 30's now.
  • Alwe1507Alwe1507 Posts: 328 Member
    Lief wrote: »
    hmm honestly starting to think of it i think the game demographic is milenals becuase thats why there is so many things for young adults

    More like EA's target is Gen Z. Millennials are mostly in their 30's now.

    We're still clutching on to "young adult".
  • Alwe1507Alwe1507 Posts: 328 Member
    Alwe1507 wrote: »
    Lief wrote: »
    hmm honestly starting to think of it i think the game demographic is milenals becuase thats why there is so many things for young adults

    More like EA's target is Gen Z. Millennials are mostly in their 30's now.

    We're still clutching on to "young adult".

    Some of us...
  • KoteykaKoteyka Posts: 537 Member
    edited September 2020
    I've been playing the sims since I was 12 and the younger I was, the more important toddler and children gameplay was to me. Now I'm kind of figuring out that "heyyy, playing as adults is pretty cool too, not as cool as toddlers but still okay-ish!" but uh... yeahhh, if I was 12 right now I'd be very unhappy with TS4 :tongue:
  • FurSimsOfficialFurSimsOfficial Posts: 2,362 Member
    For EA it is clearly not what the young people want, but what EA wants them to want. That is why we get the feeling that they don't listen or deliver.
  • OnverserOnverser Posts: 3,364 Member
    I feel like I'm probably part of the "main target audience" they focus on, I don't play families and all my sims are young adults so I largely enjoy the variety of content they add. For me personally I enjoy packs that add completely new things to the game the most rather than things that enhance things that are already there. They seem to have been missing the mark a lot though. Nobody wanted an eco pack or the ability to be a star wars. My biggest wants are occults and travel
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