goes to show they don't care about their players, absolutely idiotic choice. I will not buy anything made by the sims until I see them acknowledge how players are reacting to it, and I urge everyone to not buy any DLC for the same reason. show them their mistake and make sure it affects them in one way or another.
Who on Earth thought this was a good idea? I'm so thankful my game doesn't have it, and hopefully with all the negative pushback, they'll remove it from all games.
I think, since I will not be buying the new pack because of this, I won't watch tomorrow's live stream promoting that pack. I know, one person not watching... big deal. Still, it's a way I can protest.
Fate is a riddle and we choose our own answer.Wyrd Girls
Every single time I think "Oh, surely EA can't GET ANY WORSE" they go and do something worse. How the mighty have fallen. The Sims used to have integrity. Heck, it used to mock consumerism! Since 2003, this series has been an integral part of my life. I feel disgusted now. For Rent and all the problems it brought was the straw that broke this camel's back, but this ADVERTISEMENT UPDATE HAS ME ABSOLUTELY LIVID.
On free mobile apps with ads, there's always an option to purchase away the ads. I know Sims 4 is free to play now, but I bought it in 2018. I also own all the packs and kits. Giving paying customers a flashing annoying ad in a hundred dollar game they paid for is not the same as an ad in a free mobile game.
In The Sims 3, store items would appear at the top of your build buy menu with gold borders, and totally cluttered up the game and made it annoying.
I can't even make purchases in Sims 3 or 4 without leaving the game. So if I need to leave the game to make a purchase, ads in game make no sense.
I was so excited about today's new drop. I came home hours after the drop and watched videos while I ate my dinner. I was planning to play the game as soon as I finished eating, but what I saw in the videos stopped me cold.
I have a seizure disorder, migraines, autism, and PTSD symptoms that are similar to WW1 trench warfare shellshock. I already have to limit my time playing the game because of migraines, but this new feature will increase my seizures. My game is now a danger to my health. I won't be buying Crystal Creations on Thursday. I won't be playing my game at all.
I have purchased the game TWICE now. Once for PC and then again for PS5 when Windows broke my PC with a forced update. For the second time, my game is gone in an instant with no warning. Wow. Just wow.
Life sucks and then we die. I have MUCH bigger problems than losing my game again. Tonight I am spending extra time on my homework instead of taking the break that I was looking forward to so much. I am sad but resigned to the constant changes in my world that just keeps getting crappier and crappier. EA is the very tip of a giant iceberg of greed that is destroying my entire world. I don't blame EA. The issue is always so much bigger than EA.
I can live with the shopping cart icon, but the blinking can trigger my migraines. I’ve had to stop playing other games because of it, I don’t want to lose the Sims too.
My thoughts exactly. I'm so distracted by blinking or pulsing things (autism) that this could very well end my sims game play. I've got all of the packs already, so this would be devastating. But it would be better than the constant anxious feeling that comes with it. I don't care at all that there's an extra button. Whatever. They are a business. But don't pulsate for attention. So so obnoxious.
@flauschtrud Done. So silly, they have a splash screen full of ads every time you load up the game, why do they need a shopping cart button??
I have one mod right now (HomeRegions by kuttoe). I am very conservative about mods/custom stuff but my second mod will definitely be whichever trusted modder creates a "no shopping cart button" UI fix first
Yep! I've never used mods, but just reading this, it might be my first as well. Either that or a black sticky note taped to the right hand corner of my screen, lol.
I think the thing that made this sneak patch of the Beacon of Greed such a grand dumpster fire insult to players is the spin they tried to put on it in the patch notes - like they were doing us a favor alerting us to packs we haven't bought yet "from the comfort of our Sim's home." It just came off as extremely patronizing and manipulative and as soon as I read it it was like the joy was sucked out of a week that should have been full of celebration with long-awaited bug fixes and a new pack that a lot of people were looking forward to. What a buzzkill.
Guess I was lucky when the update wouldn't install and I had to take it offline just to play. I'm not going to try the update again until that cart button is gone, and it's definitely delayed (maybe even cancelled) my plans to buy more packs.
I honestly don’t see a reason for the shopping cart, at all. We’re very aware of the availability of packs to purchase, and if we aren’t, we already get a page full of ads and pop ups on start up.
But, the big thing, for me, is the whole blinking, pulsating aspect of it. Not only can’t it be ignored, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to trigger my migraines. I already had to take a break from playing games because the visuals were triggering my headaches (one game developed terrible camera lag, and The Sims camera’s habit of snapping to lot level on multistory builds was becoming unbearable). I was away from my story based game for so long that I lost my story threads and am just now getting some new ideas.
I was planning on buying the new pack on release. But I won’t go online now, until I know my game won’t make me sick.
I honestly don’t see a reason for the shopping cart, at all. We’re very aware of the availability of packs to purchase, and if we aren’t, we already get a page full of ads and pop ups on start up.
Yep. We are not unaware of how to buy more packs if we want to.
I have nothing insightful to say - this pulsing button is a joke that has rendered the game unplayable for me. Can’t believe I’m begging for a static shopping cart but here we are. Great work, EA. You won capitalism.
I ... really don't see much usefulness changing part of the game UI like this having any benefits for user. Even if you are a new user, you're always seeing pack advertisements somewhere. Whether it's from the launcher, a pop-up from the main menu, or browsing the gallery and seeing user-created lots/households with differing icons for missing packs on your end (if there's a sale, it also indicates the sale percentage above), there's very little chance a player will not be able to find said packs.
I also don't have much interest with the UI addition 'shine' indicator based on user interaction, as I don't believe it should be there in the first place. To further critique and maybe suggest that, no, I would not like a toggle for this UI as a compromise either.
They need to remove this, I already know which packs I want and which ones I don't, a pulsating shopping cart icon won't change my mind on that. However, what it will do is make it so that I'll refuse to buy any more packs until it's removed, I don't need them trying to invade my game with their bad marketing. Shame too, I was looking forward to the jewelry making stuff pack, but looks like I won't be getting it after all.
Dunno if anyone from the Sims team will ever see this, but just letting you know I won’t be playing again until I have a way to remove this new icon. I have a degenerative neurological disease and, like many other neurodivergent people, I can’t play a game that has a flashing or pulsing object in my peripheral vision like this. I was surprised and disappointed that you didn’t include an accessibility option to remove the pulsing. I’ve purchased almost every single pack but I definitely won’t be buying any more now. This might seem like a little thing to you, but to me and many others it’s not. Very disappointed in you. See ya.
I am disappointed by the decision of the shopping cart. I see adds on the EA app, the main menu feels like one big add and every now and then I get an additional pop up at the main menu that I have to click away before being able to load my save. I think those channels are enough to inform me of DLC to buy.
I haven't updated yet but I will postpone updating as long as I can because of this. An additional button feels like I am being milked for money. But if it's really constantly asking attention by pulsating it will be too distracting. Sims is a kind of safe haven I can escape to. After passing the adds on the EA app and the main menu, I want to focus on the game without a flashing icon constantly asking for attention.
This feels like something out of a free to play phone game. But even if the sims base game is free to play I always thought it was more quality than those cheap phone games. I spent so much money on DLC. How much more do you want. I am talking about money I earn in real life and might need to support my real life family, I sometimes deliberately don't buy some DLC. It would be nice if that decision would be respected.
Very interesting. This makes me wonder how they select simmers. Do they target simmers who already own DLC, simmers without DLC? Does our country matter? Is it just a random lottery where the lucky ones are the ones that aren't chosen?
Imagine, it's 1987 and you're playing Super Mario on Nintendo. You make Mario hit a coin box and an advertisement for Duck Hunt, or Metroid pops up, pulsating in your game. It distracts you, a goomba kills you.
To play Sims 4 on PC, I already boot up (and reboot up after it crashes twice) the EA app. The EA app informs me of new games and packs available. Then The Sims 4 starts, and the front page of the game informs me of which packs are available. Then I go into the game to play the game. I'm not shopping at this point, In playing. It's a game, I'm questing, and building, and in the zone.
But then the pulsating advertisement starts, and boom, my Sims get killed by goomba.
Sure, it's not a high speed arcade action game, but placing an ad IN the game destroys the integrity and feel of the game itself.
Ugh, yet even more in-your-face marketing tactics (read: greasy used car salesmen). Pardon me while I go take a shower to wash off the 'ick' factor.
Welp, that's it then folks. One of the last few havens we had left where we could still enjoy a bit of peaceful escapism to shut out all the mentally draining noise has now been breached... our beloved Sims game has been hijacked.
*heavy sigh*
.....
.....
.....
And now for an important word from our sponsor:
Yup yup yuppers..... I too will be more than happy to throw my wallet at the first mod creator who can permanently get rid of the flashing/pulsating B.U.G. (Big Unwanted Grift) button.
My Gallery ID: AncientMuse2
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." ~ Mark Twain
Comments
In The Sims 3, store items would appear at the top of your build buy menu with gold borders, and totally cluttered up the game and made it annoying.
I can't even make purchases in Sims 3 or 4 without leaving the game. So if I need to leave the game to make a purchase, ads in game make no sense.
I have a seizure disorder, migraines, autism, and PTSD symptoms that are similar to WW1 trench warfare shellshock. I already have to limit my time playing the game because of migraines, but this new feature will increase my seizures. My game is now a danger to my health. I won't be buying Crystal Creations on Thursday. I won't be playing my game at all.
I have purchased the game TWICE now. Once for PC and then again for PS5 when Windows broke my PC with a forced update. For the second time, my game is gone in an instant with no warning. Wow. Just wow.
Life sucks and then we die. I have MUCH bigger problems than losing my game again. Tonight I am spending extra time on my homework instead of taking the break that I was looking forward to so much. I am sad but resigned to the constant changes in my world that just keeps getting crappier and crappier. EA is the very tip of a giant iceberg of greed that is destroying my entire world. I don't blame EA. The issue is always so much bigger than EA.
My thoughts exactly. I'm so distracted by blinking or pulsing things (autism) that this could very well end my sims game play. I've got all of the packs already, so this would be devastating. But it would be better than the constant anxious feeling that comes with it. I don't care at all that there's an extra button. Whatever. They are a business. But don't pulsate for attention. So so obnoxious.
Yep! I've never used mods, but just reading this, it might be my first as well. Either that or a black sticky note taped to the right hand corner of my screen, lol.
But, the big thing, for me, is the whole blinking, pulsating aspect of it. Not only can’t it be ignored, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to trigger my migraines. I already had to take a break from playing games because the visuals were triggering my headaches (one game developed terrible camera lag, and The Sims camera’s habit of snapping to lot level on multistory builds was becoming unbearable). I was away from my story based game for so long that I lost my story threads and am just now getting some new ideas.
I was planning on buying the new pack on release. But I won’t go online now, until I know my game won’t make me sick.
Tales From The Myst
The Blue Moon Jukebox
Yep. We are not unaware of how to buy more packs if we want to.
I also don't have much interest with the UI addition 'shine' indicator based on user interaction, as I don't believe it should be there in the first place. To further critique and maybe suggest that, no, I would not like a toggle for this UI as a compromise either.
Was looking forward to a new pack, not a pulsating shopping cart. Also hearing about some new bugs that sound potentially game-breaking.
I still want the pack, but I think I'll hold off updating until it releases. Then I can decide if an awful cart and bugs are worth it.
Thank you to everyone protesting the cart. I hope they listen and remove it.
I haven't updated yet but I will postpone updating as long as I can because of this. An additional button feels like I am being milked for money. But if it's really constantly asking attention by pulsating it will be too distracting. Sims is a kind of safe haven I can escape to. After passing the adds on the EA app and the main menu, I want to focus on the game without a flashing icon constantly asking for attention.
This feels like something out of a free to play phone game. But even if the sims base game is free to play I always thought it was more quality than those cheap phone games. I spent so much money on DLC. How much more do you want. I am talking about money I earn in real life and might need to support my real life family, I sometimes deliberately don't buy some DLC. It would be nice if that decision would be respected.
Very interesting. This makes me wonder how they select simmers. Do they target simmers who already own DLC, simmers without DLC? Does our country matter? Is it just a random lottery where the lucky ones are the ones that aren't chosen?
To play Sims 4 on PC, I already boot up (and reboot up after it crashes twice) the EA app. The EA app informs me of new games and packs available. Then The Sims 4 starts, and the front page of the game informs me of which packs are available. Then I go into the game to play the game. I'm not shopping at this point, In playing. It's a game, I'm questing, and building, and in the zone.
But then the pulsating advertisement starts, and boom, my Sims get killed by goomba.
Sure, it's not a high speed arcade action game, but placing an ad IN the game destroys the integrity and feel of the game itself.
Welp, that's it then folks. One of the last few havens we had left where we could still enjoy a bit of peaceful escapism to shut out all the mentally draining noise has now been breached... our beloved Sims game has been hijacked.
*heavy sigh*
.....
.....
.....
And now for an important word from our sponsor:
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." ~ Mark Twain
Also, we always had in-game ads. I don't really know why some of you seem surprised.