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    Mstybl95Mstybl95 Posts: 5,883 Member
    I definitely won't even try it if this is where it's heading. Paralives and LBY are eons above my expectations at this point and TS5 was something I was willing to give a go, but not if there's microtransactions. Plus, this is the same company that can't/won't fix bugs - game-breaking bugs - so my expectations that it will be a game that isn't riddled with bugs are nearly underground.
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    WildIrishBansheeWildIrishBanshee Posts: 2,106 Member
    It really depends on how they handle it for me. I'm not against microtransactions as a whole, but I am against it being too pervasive. Loot boxes are an excellent example of what I'm against - having to pay for an ingame mechanic. In that case, you often get the boxes for free, but have to pay for the keys to open them...with little to no recourse against it. If it's similar in style to the Store, then fine...but if it's as pervasive as some MMOs, this will be the second odd numbered Sim game I skip.
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    simsplayer86simsplayer86 Posts: 33 Member
    If it's a micro-transaction nightmare or subscription based, I'm out. No way.
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    cody6268cody6268 Posts: 643 Member
    edited June 2023
    I am sure hoping they realized "Whoa, we nearly made this mistake with TS4, maybe we ought to rethink this". However, I have the premonition that they want online, multiplayer, and microtransaction-ridden. Three things I could care less about. My frustrations with FreePlay were what eventually led me to get TS3 and TS4.
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    Horrorgirl6Horrorgirl6 Posts: 3,205 Member
    CK213 wrote: »
    If the base game is free-to-play and the rest of the content is Expansion Packs, Game Packs, and Kits as we know them now, I don't have a problem with it. It's just EA establishing a large customer base as a foundation.

    However, if all content are only micro-transactions like The Sims 3 store, I am going to have to sit on the sidelines for a year or two so I can see if we are being taken advantage of. I mean really analyze the content for value compared to The Sims 4.

    I am okay if they. Have a store as well.As long as we get the sims packs.
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    Cabelle1863Cabelle1863 Posts: 2,251 Member
    CK213 wrote: »
    If the base game is free-to-play and the rest of the content is Expansion Packs, Game Packs, and Kits as we know them now, I don't have a problem with it. It's just EA establishing a large customer base as a foundation.

    I'd be ok with that too. My problem is I just don't trust EA. They seem quite enamored with the fast money from MMO games so I fear they're trying to turn the next Sims game into another Roblox or Fortnite, just in Sims form. Which doesn't interest me at all. Didn't they try this before with the rumored Project Olympus? I guess if they're intend on going down that path again I'll focus on Life By You and Paralives instead.
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    ProvidentiaProvidentia Posts: 25 Member
    I will not stay with Sims5 if they have microtransactions. I would honestly prefer to just pay $30 to start. If they are doing enter for free, but then you'll have to pay for a third neighborhood or more terrain tools, I am going to be disappointed. I will not buy anything smaller than the game packs. I think kits are too small for the amount they cost.
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    BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    edited June 2023
    I want to add that I fully support a store as long as we get the traditional DLC packs. I always loved the idea of a store and I pay for cc to support creators.
    As long as this doesn't turn into mobile style micro transactions I think it's fine. I always wanted ts4 to have a store like ts3 did although I heard it was overpriced 😬 either way it was optional and it's always nice to have options.
    Zombies, oh please oh please give us zombies!! :'(
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    crocobauracrocobaura Posts: 7,397 Member
    I want to add that I fully support a store as long as we get the traditional DLC packs. I always loved the idea of a store and I pay for cc to support creators.
    As long as this doesn't turn into mobile style micro transactions I think it's fine. I always wanted ts4 to have a store like ts3 did although I heard it was overpriced 😬 either way it was optional and it's always nice to have options.


    TS3 store wasn't just overpriced but they also put a lot of gameplay exclusively in the store and offered only rabbit hole options in the game and EPs. To this day, you can't buy some gameplay items, like the fixable car for example, separately from the world they came with.
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    king_of_simcity7king_of_simcity7 Posts: 25,102 Member
    CK213 wrote: »
    If the base game is free-to-play and the rest of the content is Expansion Packs, Game Packs, and Kits as we know them now, I don't have a problem with it. It's just EA establishing a large customer base as a foundation.

    I'd be ok with that too. My problem is I just don't trust EA. They seem quite enamored with the fast money from MMO games so I fear they're trying to turn the next Sims game into another Roblox or Fortnite, just in Sims form. Which doesn't interest me at all. Didn't they try this before with the rumored Project Olympus? I guess if they're intend on going down that path again I'll focus on Life By You and Paralives instead.

    It is said that Olympus was scrapped and then rebuilt in TS4 because of issues with the online Sim City that happened around 10 years ago.

    Ten years is a long time in the gaming industry but not long enough that players would have forgotten.

    Sim City 3000 will always be awesome though!
    Simbourne
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    CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited June 2023
    "Free To Enter" sounds like subscription service to me. How else would they make money if base is free, without having a subscription service (Project Olympus) at the start with content already in the wings as we saw on a screen shot way back in the early days of TS4 news.

    I think they are finally going to bring TS4's original planned subscription service to life this time. And it is very possible content from their picked creators may be for sale in game on day one.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
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    simmeroriginsimmerorigin Posts: 1,418 Member
    edited June 2023
    Cinebar wrote: »
    "Free To Enter" sounds like subscription service to me. How else would they make money if base is free, without having a subscription service (Project Olympus) at the start with content already in the wings as we saw on a screen shot way back in the early days of TS4 news.

    I think they are finally going to bring TS4's original planned subscription service to life this time. And it is very possible content from their picked creators may be for sale in game on day one.

    Well Sims 4’s base game was recently made free. They are able to track new free installs of the game and the amount of money they spent on past released DLC and the new packs to test the model.

    Although a subscription is definitely possible though. I want to make that clear
    He/him | Simmer since Sims 1 | Active Sims 2 wants-based rotational player, Sims 3 legacy player | My gameplay rules via PleasantSims | Bring back challenge and depth to the Sims: https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/17959464/#Comment_17959464
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    Horrorgirl6Horrorgirl6 Posts: 3,205 Member
    Cinebar wrote: »
    "Free To Enter" sounds like subscription service to me. How else would they make money if base is free, without having a subscription service (Project Olympus) at the start with content already in the wings as we saw on a screen shot way back in the early days of TS4 news.

    I think they are finally going to bring TS4's original planned subscription service to life this time. And it is very possible content from their picked creators may be for sale in game on day one.

    Well Sims 4’s base game was recently made free. They are able to track new free installs of the game and the amount of money they spent on past released DLC and the new packs to test the model.

    Although a subscription is definitely possible though. I want to make that clear

    My hope it is no subscription, but it will be free.Witg a store selling clothes, premium content and worlds.

    With other packs, game packs and expansions.Store will be okay as long it's not to screening.I doubt there going to make the game fill with micritraansitioons.Like speed up this.
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    Lady_BalloraLady_Ballora Posts: 786 Member
    EA's greed is going to kill the Sims franchise. I'm not even going to look at Sims 5 if it's going to be a subscription-based MMO...I'll just switch over to Life By You and I'll probably be sticking with Sims 4 as well.
    Why do you hide inside these walls?
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    BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    crocobaura wrote: »
    I want to add that I fully support a store as long as we get the traditional DLC packs. I always loved the idea of a store and I pay for cc to support creators.
    As long as this doesn't turn into mobile style micro transactions I think it's fine. I always wanted ts4 to have a store like ts3 did although I heard it was overpriced 😬 either way it was optional and it's always nice to have options.


    TS3 store wasn't just overpriced but they also put a lot of gameplay exclusively in the store and offered only rabbit hole options in the game and EPs. To this day, you can't buy some gameplay items, like the fixable car for example, separately from the world they came with.

    That sounds kinda bad actually lol 😅😅😅
    Definitely makes me rethink the store idea. Maybe that stuff is best left to cc creators.
    Zombies, oh please oh please give us zombies!! :'(
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    simmeroriginsimmerorigin Posts: 1,418 Member
    edited June 2023
    Sims 4 had a potential premium subscription prototype, it seems
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    He/him | Simmer since Sims 1 | Active Sims 2 wants-based rotational player, Sims 3 legacy player | My gameplay rules via PleasantSims | Bring back challenge and depth to the Sims: https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/17959464/#Comment_17959464
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    BeardedgeekBeardedgeek Posts: 5,520 Member
    Sims 4 had a potential premium subscription prototype, it seems
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    9dgjydu30yau.jpeg

    Not surprising since it was built from the beginning to be mandatory multiplayer online only.
    Origin ID: A_Bearded_Geek
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    HavenRoseHavenRose Posts: 323 Member
    If they want simmers who are willing to subscribe/be chill with microtransactions, there probably is a market for them; that market isn't here on the forums or in any of the online sims communities I've run across so far. It just doesn't seem like the base they want to attract overlaps with the existing simmer base. Without knowing any of the sales data, I wouldn't be surprised if most of the early Sims 4 players had already played Sims 3, so they had a ready-made user base to tap into. If they wildly change the format to online only and/or subscription, it's going to be a bigger challenge getting the Sims 4 market to jump over to being nickeled and dimed for a new game. That'd make a very rough transition to profitability, especially if they don't have a $60 base game right at the start to rake in cash.

    The game has also always had free modders and CC creators as an integral part of the community. I just can't see forcing user content through their store so they can monetize it will go the way they hope.
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    Katlyn2525Katlyn2525 Posts: 4,201 Member
    edited July 2023
    I do not really view someone who plays the Sims a gamer. Sure, they could play other games, but this is more like a hobby than a true game. You tell stories, you build, you create. I see no reason for a pay for a subscription service or microtransactions to do this, if that is their intention.
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    logionlogion Posts: 4,723 Member
    edited July 2023
    HavenRose wrote: »
    If they want simmers who are willing to subscribe/be chill with microtransactions, there probably is a market for them; that market isn't here on the forums or in any of the online sims communities I've run across so far. It just doesn't seem like the base they want to attract overlaps with the existing simmer base. Without knowing any of the sales data, I wouldn't be surprised if most of the early Sims 4 players had already played Sims 3, so they had a ready-made user base to tap into. If they wildly change the format to online only and/or subscription, it's going to be a bigger challenge getting the Sims 4 market to jump over to being nickeled and dimed for a new game. That'd make a very rough transition to profitability, especially if they don't have a $60 base game right at the start to rake in cash.

    The game has also always had free modders and CC creators as an integral part of the community. I just can't see forcing user content through their store so they can monetize it will go the way they hope.

    The people who are active in the modding and CC community seems to be more part of the player base that grew up playing the older games so yes, they need to make their new game appealing to them too otherwise there will not be many people that will contribute to their store.

    I would say the strength of The Sims 4 is it's community with a wide range of mods and cc, the packs that we are getting from maxis, the fact that there are no other games like it and the low barrier entry (not much required to play the game in terms of money and hardware).

    But the weakness of The Sims 4 is the support from it when it comes to performance and bugs, the amount of all packs that adds up to a high cost, and also the low barrier entry because that limits Maxis a lot from what they can make in their packs.

    Project Rene so far doesn't seem to have a lot of the strength that The Sims 4 have, we don't know if modders and cc creators will happily create content for it, we don't know if we will be getting packs from maxis, is that even possible if they want the game to run on mobile? There are other games in development that are similiar to the sims, and the fact that it's going to run on mobile and also be compatible with multiplayer could limit them even more in what Maxis could add to the game and the high cost of a potential store with microtransactions or other content could turn off the community even more if they don't find the game appealing.

    I really hope that they have a more stable framework in mind for Rene because right now it feels a bit shaky.
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    Sara1010PSara1010P Posts: 892 Member
    Time will tell I guess, but I won't accept a game that has to be always online. If that happens with Sims 5 I will be done with the franchise. The rest will be a wait and see situation.
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    Sarah26CatSarah26Cat Posts: 169 Member
    HavenRose wrote: »
    If they want simmers who are willing to subscribe/be chill with microtransactions, there probably is a market for them; that market isn't here on the forums or in any of the online sims communities I've run across so far. It just doesn't seem like the base they want to attract overlaps with the existing simmer base. Without knowing any of the sales data, I wouldn't be surprised if most of the early Sims 4 players had already played Sims 3, so they had a ready-made user base to tap into. If they wildly change the format to online only and/or subscription, it's going to be a bigger challenge getting the Sims 4 market to jump over to being nickeled and dimed for a new game. That'd make a very rough transition to profitability, especially if they don't have a $60 base game right at the start to rake in cash.

    The game has also always had free modders and CC creators as an integral part of the community. I just can't see forcing user content through their store so they can monetize it will go the way they hope.

    One of the reason Sims Expansion Packs are so profitable is because of the Foot in the Door Technique. First they charge you $40 for a base game. Then your foot is in the door, getting you to buy another pack, and another after that is easy. Some players are so addicted, they can't imagine not getting every pack for a sims game. I was in this category for Sims 1 - 3. Though Sims 2 we got mostly used versions after Sims 3 came out, we still own the whole collection.

    If they are going Free, I'd expect that technique wouldn't work anymore, which is why I'm so alarmed by the latest Job Offer News. EA isn't stupid. They know this. So if they are lessening their foot in the door price, to a simple few dollars for this cool new set of DLC Items, this is a very crafty way to rake in a lot of money from people. I am naturally nauseated by this level of greed and manipulation. If EA is going down this path for real, I am OUT!
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    CynnaCynna Posts: 2,369 Member
    edited July 2023
    cody6268 wrote: »
    I am sure hoping they realized "Whoa, we nearly made this mistake with TS4, maybe we ought to rethink this". However, I have the premonition that they want online, multiplayer, and microtransaction-ridden. Three things I could care less about. My frustrations with FreePlay were what eventually led me to get TS3 and TS4.

    As they create the newest entry to The Sims franchise, it seems that EA is going after bigger fish -- whales, so to speak. They want a player base that is already accustomed to a "pay-to-win" scheme.

    In the case of the Sims, I'm guessing that 'winning' will entail having the most exclusive clothes, furnishings, homes, cars, and vacation destinations. Those players will be willing to pay for big-name concerts, one-time-only souvenirs, and gameplay contests with loads of prizes. TS4 has been laying the groundwork for years.

    I3Ml5Om.jpg
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    WildIrishBansheeWildIrishBanshee Posts: 2,106 Member
    Cynna wrote: »
    cody6268 wrote: »
    I am sure hoping they realized "Whoa, we nearly made this mistake with TS4, maybe we ought to rethink this". However, I have the premonition that they want online, multiplayer, and microtransaction-ridden. Three things I could care less about. My frustrations with FreePlay were what eventually led me to get TS3 and TS4.

    As they create the newest entry to The Sims franchise, it seems that EA is going after bigger fish -- whales, so to speak. They want a player base that is already accustomed to a "pay-to-win" scheme.

    In the case of the Sims, I'm guessing that 'winning' will entail having the most exclusive clothes, furnishings, homes, cars, and vacation destinations. Those players will be willing to pay for big-name concerts, one-time-only souvenirs, and gameplay contests with loads of prizes. TS4 has been laying the groundwork for years.

    The problem with P2W is everyone is already burnt out on it - other games are moving away from that model in a stampede, including mobile. Microtransactions might be around a bit longer, where they make sense - but even the demographic EA seems to be aiming at is against P2W, including children, except maybe the really young, which is a terrifying thought for the next installment of The Sims. The Sims 4 is already childish for preteens, so if they target the under 5 crowd...well, I won't be playing, that's for sure lol.
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    CynnaCynna Posts: 2,369 Member
    The problem with P2W is everyone is already burnt out on it - other games are moving away from that model in a stampede, including mobile. Microtransactions might be around a bit longer, where they make sense - but even the demographic EA seems to be aiming at is against P2W, including children, except maybe the really young, which is a terrifying thought for the next installment of The Sims. The Sims 4 is already childish for preteens, so if they target the under 5 crowd...well, I won't be playing, that's for sure lol.

    If that is the case, thank goodness. That's good news for gaming, as a whole. Hopefully, EA is reading the room. However, some of the things that EA/Maxis has been doing with TS4 leads me to believe that they are stubbornly forging ahead, regardless.
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