It’s been a few months since we’ve heard any news regarding the newest addition to the Sims universe: The Sims 5. Celebrating 20 years of The Sims, EA CEO Andrew Wilson talked about The Sims 5 earlier this year. While there hasn’t been an official announcement just yet, it heartened many fans to hear that the highly anticipated game is in development. Unfortunately, fans have had little to go on since.
In lieu of releasing a new game, EA and The Sims developer company Maxis have unveiled expansion pack after expansion pack of new content to keep players interested in The Sims 4 since its release date in 2014. So far, there have been nine Expansion Packs, Eight Game Packs, and a whopping 27 Stuff Packs to change up how you play the now classic game. With these additions, players can create supernatural characters, experiment with tiny homes, adopt cats and dogs. A “Nifty Knitting” expansion was released only a month ago.
The Sims has become one of the best selling video games of all time in its 20 years, selling more almost 200 million copies to date. It rivals the popularity of video games like Minecraft, a game that has officially surpassed the 200 million mark as of May 2020. Even though most people have flocked to Animal Crossing during this time of social distancing, many people without the Nintendo Switch have turned to their favorite older video game to relax: The Sims 4.
Players are hoping to see new innovations from The Sims 5 but little has been revealed regarding its gameplay as a whole.
What we know so far
We don’t know much about The Sims 5, but what we do know is exciting. Here are some of the details you can expect to see in the newest game:
- Gameplay: At its core, The Sims franchise is a life simulator game. Your Sim has six needs that need to be maintained as you travel through various worlds that the game has to offer. We can expect that building your Sim, building homes, and developing relationships will still be at the core of the gameplay. You can also move into homes that have already been developed like the 43 million Americans who change houses each year.
- PC or Console: In the past, The Sims has always been first released on PC, then on consoles like Playstation and Xbox. According to Millenium, however, EA has expressed interest in a simultaneous release. This means that you’ll be able to buy copies for the PC and your PS4 as soon as the game comes out. Unfortunately, we don’t know if The Sims 5 will stick to PS4 or limit its availability to the new PS5 slated to release later this year.
- Cross platform Capabilities: There have also been titterings that EA wants cross platform capabilities for potential online. This means that you’ll be able to play with your friends, regardless of the type of medium you’re using to play The Sims. This kind of feature has been impossible to do in the past but the popularity of visiting your friends’ islands in Animal Crossing may have spurred this development.
- New Features: Again, EA and Maxis have kept updates close to their chest. After all, there hasn’t been an official announcement regarding the game and its release just yet. However, some sources have claimed that The Sims 5 will enable your Sim to roam around their city, experience different transportation options, and that the player will get better creation tools. This last part is essential since building your Sim a home is one of the key aspects of the game. As many as 30% of bathrooms have a contemporary design aesthetic, but Simmers around the world have experimented with new twists on classic rooms. A new design and creation tool can help players get even more creative.
What we want from the newest game
There has been little information about what to expect from the new game which has led countless fans to speculate. It’s also encouraged fans to make their desires public. Here are some of the most popular additions we hope to see in The Sims 5:
- Open World: Establishing an open world for The Sims is a lofty goal, but fans are tired of seeing loading screens. Being able to walk to your neighbor’s house or another part of town can make you feel more connected.
- More Variety: EA has hinted that this newest rendition of The Sims will cater to the new generation’s wants and likes. As such, many fans want to experiment with social media, vegan diets, new identities, and more.
- Autosave: The Sims 4 did a great job reminding you to save the game before exiting. But an autosave feature might make developing our world even easier.
What else do you want to see in The Sims 5? With E3 getting canceled this year, gamers will just have wait for the official announcement before our questions are satisfied.
