Sims RELYING On Creators to "Stay Relevant" (Interview)
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- Опубліковано 9 жов 2024
- In a new interview from the general manager, the sims team reveals they are relying on cc and mod content creators to stay relevant, chase trends, and get more sims content more quickly. They also discuss fracturing the community in creating new mobile games. This comes after Project Rene leaks, no sims 5, and ahead of the new sims 4 life and death expansion pack trailer reveal
Full Interview: www.gamesindus...
Footage from EA Investor Day
I Do think it's perfectly fine for a game to discuss or be supportive of UGC: a plus even! But I also think the framing here from General Manager worries me a lot about their core focus and direction of the game.
having other sims games is fine too- but I'd think it'd be important to ensure you main foundation is strong.
I come from my own pov and maybe I just am out of what they think will be most lucrative. def free to disagree on my take. Looking forward to seeing the new ep trailer as a nice break.
I'm not in the target demographic I don't think, either. I'm more of a play whatever I want with characters I make in the game, but at the same time I do like building. I'm not really into CAS, especially when I have trouble finding something, so I'm glad for the My Library for me to add sims to so I don't have to recreate all the time. I really wish sims wasn't like this or going in this direction. I mean, I'm happy for those of you that have friends to play sims with that will be getting a multiplayer platform, but personally this just makes me miss the good ol' cd days. You bought what you paid for. If you decided you didn't want that portion anymore, you could return or sell it. Get money back and get the version you decide you'd rather have, instead. Not a crap ton of stuff you have to pay for, and if you decide you'd rather not have it, your money isn't refundable. Yes. CDs could be expensive, but that's when you just wait for sales. Back To School, Christmas, etc. I love Sims 4. I think it's the best. But that might be because I didn't grow up with Sims 3 or 2. And I've only had experience playing the normal Sims 2 disc set. I never got to have that experience with Sims 1 and 2 of paying for packs and stuff. When I came onboard with Sims 1, that was because I kept asking and asking for Sims 1, and my mom kindly bought it on CD, and I spent my entire childhood playing Sims 1 after my homework was done and when I wasn't watching tv or having dinner.
Hard agree. Imo it just seems exploitative. Like ea is.
I love user generated content very much. But that’s up to the USERS to feel inspired and enjoy creativity and community. It’s not supposed to be the last and best hope of corporate management
@@joyfulgirl91 Quite true! What I'm seeing in the direction, I think they're just trying to make more money. I get the saying that time is money and all, but those that aren't with EA Play Membership each month, you're already paying $50 (I'm rounding up and adding the tax) for each EP. The Sims 4 makes the CD versions seems more affordable. Even Sims 3. Yes. Cheaper. However, I've scanned those packs, and $18 something for each one. And during the months like now that my sister's business and the side part where I do the signs are slow with money, I can't afford this stuff. There are things I want that I can't have, because they rarely put them on sale. And by the time they do, I might not have the money anymore. I get that every game is online now. Even mobile since you have to be signed into an account to play certain games. But seriously. Not everyone can afford Sims anymore. If they keep this up, everyone is gonna probably either find cheaper games or go invest in the CD form of sims games. You know, I took business in HS and have had experience in customer service with my sister's photography business. This isn't a well thought out technique, and if it is, they didn't think it through. I feel like they're trying to target people that can actually afford to spend money on everything, and the people that actually have friends to play with. In fact, I'm even thinking of purchasing some CDs of the Sims 2. I have the Sims 3 base game and I'm fine with it. It's one of those games that I don't need to buy packs to enjoy it. I just wish it was more intuitive (able to be played by any player) without needing a stabilizer mod to do so. I'm actually also thinking about starting to ask for Sims games for Christmas on disc.
??? Never in my life did I ever play a sims game and expect them to be up to trends outside of the simverse.. 😑 we can always make our own Chappel Roans that’s literally the point
right? that wouldn't be sustainable anyway; heck by that definition even cc and mod creators would struggle to get stuff out "quickly enough" the emphasis too on going fast is scary to me... and game should be made with time and care.
What she’s saying seems meaningless because we already have creators building families and homes based on trends. The day after House of the Dragon premiered, I found beautiful sims of all the main characters because other players were inspired. What would help me discover more of them are improvements to the gallery, but what has stopped them from improving the search function to that for all this time?
Meanwhile, the original game was released in 2000 with a setting based on late 20th century sit-coms and that blends the 60s, 70s, and 80s, with a little dashes of 90s and near future sci-fi tossed in for fun.
that is true...
They keep proving time, time and TIME AGAIN they have no clue what the hell they're doing.
I think I understand what they are doing... hoping they can expand to new players but retain current ones. that last part is a huge question
EA, I'd like to speak to the manager...
these interviews are painful
Me too. I wanna talk to the manager too. I have a warrant for that.
The sims community is tired of fixing the game themselves. They about to lose their player base and game tbh
it's very odd messaging especially at this time., support UGC sure but don't; make it sound as though you are relying on it
I feel like they are ignoring how many gameplay mods have nothing to do with pop culture and so much more to do with general quality of life stuff and adding layered experiences to "playing life".
no they're not, they are not making the sims 5 for a reason.
They are lying not many people play the game and this is all a marketing strategy to get the player count up. But it looks like it’s gonna back fire n loose all the old players while gaining no new ones. Nice one Ea 😅
@@mizdaniiella I mean its free, that’s how free to play inflates numbers. Someone who played for five days and then quit playing still counts as a player. You notice how they never quantify time windows or average player hours.
Being a sims player is starting to feel more and more like someone who got caught up in a time-share scam for the Lost City of Atlantis after someone showed them some glowing rocks. It seemed cool at first, you thought you saw proof of concept, you kept funneling money in, and then it got weird. Every time you tried to pull out, they hooked you with something new and shiny, but all you really have are shiny rocks and half broken stuff. And now they want to sell you on day-trips to Mt. Olympus.
@@delanimoon this is a great comparison
I totally agree with you Erin, EA's approach is absolutely backwards. The Sims works on longevity and replayability - it's the reason why many of us have been playing for several years, even decades. Trying to appeal to fleeting trends is a poor decision if that is at the core of creating new content and gameplay for the franchise. Content derived from trends should be an additional layer, but not the foundation if that makes sense.
and even for new players- maybe they can bring more in, but are they going to retain them long term? They said themselves how fleeting trends are. you get spikes of engagement, but is that engagement meaningful or long living?
It's giving a middle aged person trying so hard to use current slang to their teenage kids. It's embarrassing.
Gone are the days where games push boundaries of technology and improving game mechanics. Now it is more like, what's cool? Oh is that what kids do nowadays? Let's do that to make MONEY.
@@westanimesims “The kids are into Fortnight and Roblox, lets copy them” 🙄😑
They thought this article would make us pity them? “Oh poor ea can’t give us the trends we demand” We’re asking for freedom, creativity, and surprise not fads
honestly, I think they wanted this article more so for investors and those in the gaming business, based on the outlet.
EA is literally that "Hello, fellow kids!" meme. 🙄
LMAO. Honestly isn't everything media related nowadays? I just watched this week SNL debate sketch... they kept using Gen-Z tiktok slang. Cringe XD
Pop culture changes and shifts fast yeah, that is why expansion and game packs (need the most development) shouldn't be trend or pop culture based, they have kits (even if it like the vacuum one with a tiny amount of game play) for. Since they can do those quickly. There are still really popular stuff (bands and faeries to name a couple) that have been popular during the entire franchise that they still haven't dealt with in the Sims 4, instead they do vacuum and that my first pets thing with was an add on to an add on, that could have been added to later packs (or the original pack) and didn't.
WELL SAID!!! they should be staples, expand and enhance gameplay. chasing trends doesn't lead to longevity. I guess to be fair they are saying oh content creators bring that. sure, but is that really a central area of focus for keeping the game going?
@@SimmerErin Chasing trends CAN lead to longevity, but you have to do it wisely. A couple of trendy kits (say a LasVegas gambling CC/BB etc kit, a Scandinavian CC kit and a Louisiana MardiGras BB kit, examples) could go great with a minor career game pack (more careers are good, someone will like them) and a "Supersocial" expansion pack with a new world (maybe The Hague, Netherlands inspired, example) adding more gameplay that adds more cross pack compatibility (past packs AND future ones) and other social etc gameplay regarding sims who come from different worlds speaking different languages (like the rent pack) or dialects of Simlish, college professor careers, language teacher career, diplomat trait/career and so on.
The name EA used to be a seal of quality. It really saddens to me see them do the sims like this. I am ready to jump ship once Paralives and Inzoi release. They could be not as good as expected, but they're a breath of fresh air. I so desperately want to play a new game with modern graphics and innovation. Like LGR said, I really thought the sims 4 would just be a quick thing and they would make a new version meant for life simulation soon enough. Greed has completely consumed them and the future is mobile games and microtransactions with XP and leveling up and probably energy points too 😂
Same goes for other big name publishers. The reason they got so big is because they made great games. Then gaming became massive popular, left the bedroom for the living room, the money men realised how big the industry was and it all went downhill from there.
I at least hoped they were taking their time to make a new sims main title game
I don't want fast, I want quality. You can see how companies' obsession with being trendy and pushing content is negatively affecting the quality of the products we receive, not even just in the gaming industry. I'm apart of Gen Z, and the reason I play The Sims is not to keep up with or engage with pop culture, in fact, I could care less. Also, the custom content that I use in my game primarily revolves around adding more gameplay where it is currently lacking, like an advanced healthcare system, more romantic interactions, more functional objects, etc.
I play The Sims because I get to take the time to formulate interesting stories for my characters. And that is fun for me. I value the time it takes to work on a build or developing a sim's storyline. However, one time-saving addition I felt was great for the game was the "apply to all" button in CAS where it minimized the tedious effort of applying the same makeup, accessory, or clothing item across multiple outfits. That's great, but my gameplay is not tedious work. I'd like to bask in it, and I'd like more effort into making this game complete and fully fleshed with increased optimization and better gameplay opportunities.
Sadly, I don't think this is the direction they're going at all. It's ironic to me that they are so fixated on appealing to a younger audience and are attempting a complete direction overhaul of a game people have loved for decades, meanwhile, as a Gen Z myself who has never gotten to play sims 2, I find sims 2 to be the most attractive and ideal game in the franchise, despite it being before my time.
I'm twice your age and completely agree with everything you said. And I played Sims 2 for well over a decade. It was the GOAT. TS4 is fun, but lacks the quirk and charm of TS2.
the discussion of getting things faster was a HUGE red flag to me. why in the wold does it need to be even faster
and tbh I think they greatly underestimate gen z. Gen Z I do think has interest in quality content. I am a millennial, but I have a fairly high opinion of the gen below me
@@SimmerErin exactly, Gen Z are not dumb shells who can't think and are perfused with constant FOMO and meaningless trends. I am actually pleased to see that they take less time to get what is wrong with our world (societal and environmental issues, for example), and I think big corporations are in for quite a surprise once they will realise that their shitty output doesn't stick with the younger generations. I do believe they have it harder than us, because they're constantly harassed by notifications and social media pressure, all the while being overall less tech savvy in a super technological world (a lot of them don't know how to create a folder on a computer because they didn't have to learn like we did), and I think that, at one point, they will say "enough of your bullshit".
@@SimmerErinI think you may be looking a little too old on the Gens list.
Alpha is now hitting teen years. *They* are the new target demographic and even beyond the aging up thing, they’re also “better targets” to companies because they do care about trends and getting stuff fast
It's fool hardy to follow trends. Some of those so-called trends are not trends but complete movements to even sub-cultures, as seen with the goth kit and our VAST expectations of it.
EA needs the Sims 4 to be working firstly, which should have been done back in 2015 (yes, I am giving them some leeway there). Have a working game, your fanbase will grow.
it is, it'd be a losing battle no matter what you did. they can still do collabs or events as they like, but it's not a great focus to have.
I have been playing since the first iteration of the franchise, Sims 1. I play video games to relax. I don't do multi-player. I don't need anything trendy. I even have to mod some of the current trendy crap out of Sims 4 to make it enjoyable. At nearly 50, I know I am not the target demographic. I am the type they wish they usually try to say is not welcome because I don't conform to their ideas on social issues. My kids are supposedly EA's current target demographic. Fortunately they don't like Sims 4 because of the direction it is heading. They were not even interested in the My Sims games as there are better games they wish to play on the Switch.
Regarding what we want in a sims game: I'm a younger player and ts4 was my first (main franchise) sims game. When playing ts4, even with all the expansions, I always felt there was nothing to do, especially with the sims themselves. A few years back I tried out ts2 and had so much fun with it. It feels like you're doing much more with your sims, to the point that I thought ts2 had longer days than ts4, despite them being the same length. You just get so much more personality with ts2 sims. There's a bit of challenge to the game and there's more room for character-driven stories. Ts2's base lore is also really good, to the point that I can only play premades and have a hundred times more fun than playing my own sims in ts4.
thanks so much for this. I REALLY think EA is assuming all younger players want other things when I suspect most would appreciate a solid game
I was only 10 seconds in and I couldn't contain my eye roll. Forget about a trend, make a decent, well functioning game. This has been my issue even before former SimGuru Drake confirmed that they really and truly think of The Sims as pop culture, not just a game. The Sims is a game first and foremost or at least it used to be. Act like it.
I know I'm not their target demo anymore. Also something I realized before Drake pointed out they're targeting young inspiring influencers or influencer watchers. I'm definitely looking to create my own stories but I need the tools to do it like better personalities traits, create a world, the ability to edit worlds and add lots, a color wheel, and I also need an open world. I also need loading screens (unless my sim is traveling to a different world/town) to go.
And I really wish they'd keep in mind that not everyone wants to play like it's current day with all the latest trends and "must haves" therefore there needs to be a variety in what they offer, not just the latest trends. I remember a lot of their reasoning for not having things basically being 'It's (insert a year between 2014-2024 here) no one uses that.' but not everyone plays like it is. Give us the options to play our way.
OOH I should look back at all the many many times they have said pop culture alongside sims. cause yeah it's getting old. has there been an intersection with sims and pop culture always? yes, to an extent. but it was more small nods- or something that integrated into the game alongside a solid foundation.
I guess people above the age of 20- 25 don't matter lol
Sadly the people who grew up on The Sims is not who they are catering to anymore. We grew up playing games solo or co-op with friends/family in the same room. We can play for hours by ourselves and prefer it on many games (hence why sims previous attempts for online multi-player failed)
They are trying to reach and cater to the new generation who rely heavily on playing with other people. My kids will only play a solo game for a good 10-15min before they get bored and switch to a game with a lobby full of other kids. And constantly asking for some type of items because they saw someone else with it.
EA sees money in going for these kids. Kids are into trends and will spend they parents money to get whatever is relevant at the time to show off. We are just in a different time/generation in gaming nowadays.
I also believe EA does not want to compete with the other life sims coming out. It truly feels like they took a detour from their original plans to do something completely different.
Either way I'm just thankful there are more life sims coming out. There will be something for everyone and we can play them all to get different experiences.
ah :( I was hoping some kids would not enjoy that- also wondering if this will continue as they age? I am not a parent, so my only direct knowledge of gen alpha is the kids my mom subs for and my nephew and niece (who are very young yet)
@@SimmerErin It will continue as they age. Just as for us that grew up on solo play grew up preferring solo play. There are kids out there who love solo gameplay, but they are the minority now. Kids don't meet up outside anymore, they meet up online. Gaming industry knows this and sees it as a profit.
I got a VR system for my kids and when I tried it for myself I found that many adults that grew up playing saga and such was on it meeting up! Creating online gaming rooms, clubs, bars. And when I ask "why not just do that IRL" they answered because they don't have to leave the house and enjoy meeting new people online and dressing their avatars.
We're in very different times now and I just hate that The Sims is completely changing because of it. If everything else changes I wanted the sims to keep it's roots. They may keep some of their roots, but they are for sure moving on from what we grew up knowing The Sims for.
Kids who played video games used to be a niche. Now there is a game for everyone at every moment of free time, which means a lot more simple games are bought and played. I don’t think it means overall fewer people (of any age or generation) enjoying challenging, long form, solo gaming. It just used to be an industry mostly for a specific type, and now it is for everyone.
My kid much prefers single player games, but will play multiplayer sometimes in the form of roblox. Even she complains about the lack of things in the sims 4 though, such as not being able to make sims that use wheelchairs or have pet reptiles
@@Prof9299 I also notice that kids who play the sims are immediately frustrated by what they can’t customize. They’re like, what do you mean I can’t change the tank top under the jacket
They’ve lost the plot, sadly. The fan base will certainly shift to the younger gen because it sounds like Sims wants the Fortnite model really bad.
I think that is what they are going for- they mention gen alpha a lot (they do of course mention gen z too).
My Sims is there for that? we already have a mobile experience. so why this
If the Fortnite model was all it took to make a game lucrative, every studio would have their own. You can’t build it from the monetization backwards and make something so beloved. That game isn’t for me, but people who enjoy it think it is special and are not interested in every similar game.
Of course, the microtransactions for Project Renee was a real turn off for me. Let's hope either Paralives or InZoi allows us to build some crazy builds. Like the Haunted Castle set I built from The Sims 4.
not sure, both I know have customization tools. I know more about paralives build mode than Inzoi. it appears to have a good extent of flexibility but I don't see any bb items that would support a castle. of course, cc will be allowed so there's that
I still playing The Sims 4 because I just love the game despites its issues, thank God for the modding community as they are the reason why the game is still relevant
the fixes are not enough, they need to invest on IMPROVING the game MORE and NOT FOLLOWING TRENDS! GEEZ! these people in Maxis and EA are something else!
I'm hoping most of this is for rene.. cause at this point I sadly have more hope for sims 4 getting better than rene being a good experience.
We FINALLY got more on QA, let's hope they can continue to make improvements
Im here for the occults/create my own stories/building. I don't care about pop culture, I'm too old for that. Ive been playing since sims 1. Instagram? Social media? Nah. Multiplayer...no thank you
me too! I've been playing since the very beginning, and S2 will always be my favorite version. As much time and money that we have invested in each new version, you would hope and expect they would be concerned about the quality of game play. Buy it doesn't seem to be the case, unfortunately, and it saddens me.
feels like they are forgetting players that aren't idk below 25
@SimmerErin so true, Sims has been a huge part of my gaming life, and I hate to see the shape it's in atm
I can't believe they publicly mentioned fracturing the community... like it is a good thing. There are reasons to fracture that can be good, but that usually comes with standing by social justice causes. The Sims is talking about ignoring concerns and making choices that don't appear to align with their player base's interests. The Sims has longevity with so many players following it through the years, who would keep following it AND bring new players in organically. Instead, they're isolating a significant chunk of that player base to chase trends and cut costs. Good job Sims, way to go. 👍
it was certainly an odd choice. I guess they did of course get asked it... seems this article was more for those in the industry, but in some ways, I might as well listen to their honest intentions
yes... this here is for the gamble of seemingly growing their base even more silly things is there are better ways to do this just as you said
I always find it interesting when companies/corporations hire these people to help them stay relevant. When, they should actually be listening to the consumer. Instead, they make up “innovative ideas” to supposedly make it “future” based. I want a game that works, is affordable, and I’m tired of the multiple packs. Especially, when features could’ve been added to a pack. Stop making 5 packs and 6 kits that should’ve been consolidated into one or 2. Then maybe the price would make sense. If they want to take inspiration from Content Creators, then update the game and make it better graphic quality across platforms. I use cc, but not everybody can, so enhance what’s already there. I hate base game design, it’s very outdated to me. However, I understand that not everyone can do updates or get cc. The Sims can focus on making these types of updates more accessible. That should be more focused. I think working with the Content Creators is great, they deserve recognition and to be financially supported, but they shouldn’t be “used” to maintain or prop up the game. Actually, few years ago they hired Content Creators to add items to the base game! It was really awesome and it allowed for more accessibility. I also really appreciate them using Content Creators to help build in new packs. That’s something they should always keep.
Listening to the consumer isn't really going to help either. Everyone has a different opinion on ... everything actually. To the point that I feel like the argument is EA needs to listen to the correct players.
yes! if you have a strong base, then you can focus on the extras. It's like trying to make a pizza with only unique toppings- when the dough is either non existent or expired (forgive the analogy)
I am a smack-dab-in-the-middle Millennial for frame of reference. I have played The Sims 1 (played it OFTEN), The Sims 2 (played it less often, mostly watched my older sister play at the time), The Sims 3 (played it a little bit and mostly just played World Adventures until my laptop at the time crashed and I switched to Mac because I was a college freshmen and couldn't afford to replace a crappy laptop every year or every other year and Macs have more longevity). And, of course, I play[ed] The Sims 4. I have the [ed] in brackets because I barely touch Sims 4 these days. I have made a cute sim I like recently, but that was largely because of FOMO on the Grim event (aka the free stuff that comes with it.)
I started playing The Sims 1 and 2 because I wanted to. At the time for me, it felt like playing Barbies on the computer, and I played with dolls and such well into my teens, and a lot of my friends made fun of me for it. Like, sorry they didn't have the imagination I still did... 😂 But, yeah, Sims was more socially acceptable at that time in my school. Additionally, I was quite young when I played Sims 1, so I don't recall/can't pinpoint exactly why I STARTED playing. However, I can say I enjoyed the cheeky side of things - the *giggle giggle giggle* of a vibrating heart bed/heart hot tub, the Sims Superstar where you get three tries at combinations and consequences if you got it wrong and you can laugh at your poor Sims who lose career progress/stardom - recording booths and fashion runways. That was fun for me. Also, loved Unleashed. There wasn't as much customization, but I remember it just feeling like a goofy little addition and the animals were quite cute. And they had proper guinea pigs. Not super intricate guineas doing space travel or whatever, but they actually squeaked. I also loved Makin Magic - traveling to the little magic world was really fun for me as a kid. I also enjoyed unaliving sims because as long as I can remember I've had a bit of a sinister sense of humor and appreciate the art of horror as a genre. Both my parents quite enjoyed a good suspense thriller movie, and I actually watched The Shining with my dad when I was 6. Gave me some memorable nightmares, but I enjoyed it. So The Sims 1 appealed to my sinister sense of humor. It was a bit more mature than especially Sims 4. Sims 1 needs also depleted a lot faster.
Sims 2 I actually have played recently (thank YOU for a video you had not too long ago reminding us that Sims 2 was on the App Store - I checked to see if it was still available, and turns out it didn't matter because I did actually purchase it on there when it was available. I just couldn't install it on my older Macbook Pros, so I installed it on my current one. I am eternally grateful.) Anyway, I'm not super far into Sims 2 yet, and I really didn't have as much interest in playing Sims 2 when it initially released because I had other special interests that sort of overtook my brain space and Sims went to the side for a bit.
Sims 3 I mentioned briefly up there, so I won't get into that again.
When Sims 4 came out for Mac users, I was in my second semester of my first year in grad school, so I definitely didn't play it as much as I wanted to, but my excitement to play a Sims game that didn't make my computer malfunction sort of outweighed the downfalls it had, which in hindsight I acknowledge, but I spent years and years really loving The Sims 4. I still do LIKE The Sims 4 - I just have a clearer perspective on its flaws in addition to the things I like about it - the customization, the flexibility of storytelling for creative people, the character design, the gallery (when it works), the build mode being sort of the most accessible build mode we've ever had (perhaps aside from roofing - having auto-roof in Sims 2 recently made me appreciate auto-roof and how much I dislike trying to make a roof look nice in Sims 4).
I'm definitely in a different place now with The Sims franchise than I ever have been in the past. Now, I'm a grown adult. When I started playing Sims 4, I really wasn't active in any gaming communities online, like at all. I didn't know what Twitch was, I didn't know people made gaming videos - I promise I didn't live under a rock, it just didn't occur to me that other people made gaming content for other people to watch. Once I figured that out, I learned A LOT about gaming that I didn't know before from all sorts of gamers and content creators. I didn't realize for years how much EA overprices its games. Someone had to teach me that - it's not something that I was just innately aware of. It still makes me happy to this day to see content creators that welcome complete newbies who don't know anything about the gaming industry because I have also met the other side of that quite unpleasantly, and usually on Reddit quite frankly, so I just stay off of there. If someone doesn't know something, one's first impulse shouldn't be aggression. If anybody does that to you just hand them a mirror. 😂
Ooof. I just realized how much I'm writing. Sorry Erin. Or not sorry - you always tell me not to apologize, but I think I answered your question somewhere in here. 😂
LOL thank you! I myself am a youngish millennial (born in the 90s)- I too switched to Mac but oddly I was so late to sims 3 as silly me I tried to play on a pc that could not handle it. thought I hated the game... got it after the 64 bit update and fell in love with it years later. I started with sims 2 as my mother said I was 'too young' to play the first game.
You def make me curious about the OG. I saw it some, and know about it but def have not opesonally experienced it. The discussion of sims being socially acceptable too is so interesting.. my older brother played loads of sims 2 with me (my mother too)
I agree with liking (though never loving) sims 4 for its some of its stronger points. and I miss auto roof for sim 4 dearly. I have 2, 3, and 4 installed now, and while I love 2 and 3 and Never have 4, I certainly can have fun with 4.
I don’t know where they are getting their information from on what players want. Even the recent survey made me wonder why they could ever think some of those ideas were what simmers would want. They were so out there.
For me, I started playing the original sims about halfway through its life cycle and then moved along to sims 2 and 3 only to quit before the first expansion for sims 4 released. Why did I quit? Most of the things that make Sims fun to me were missing and the game was so buggy I had to reinstall it after every update. That caused me to not be able to play the long stories that I like. I like playing a sims family through the generations. I used to make family trees and everything and I followed the oldest son of every household. Sims is about family gameplay to me. It always has been.
likely data analytics- and studying other lucrative game models. The problem is, if you're going with data, you need to understand the why too. Maybe some things they do have indeed provided the spike in engagement- the question is why, and the question is, does this hold up long term> does it fit the community and the game itself, or are you going after something you have seen make a lot of money in other games without considering its sustainability
If they are really turning to Content Creators to keep The Sims relevant, then why did the leaked Mobile version of Project Renee come out the way it did? Surely, a huge majority, like almost everybody despised the direction it's heading. It's kind of contradictory in my opinion coz I doubt any Content Creator would actually be fond of the state Renee is in right now. I feel like the way Renee currently looks is due to them trying to "catch up with trends"? without them even knowing if it fully works with this community or not. With the leaked Mobile version of Renee as an example of proof or evidence, I feel like they are so out of touch with the community and they are too optimistic about the potential competitor that they're gonna have coming. Another thing to bring about them being out of touch with the community is also when they stated that the Happy at Home Login Event was received positively by the playerbase on the recent blogpost and that was the reason why the Reaper Reward event happened in the first place? and I was so confused coz I thought a lot of players said that they didn't like the way it was heading... That could honestly mean a few things:
1. They were actually aware it was not positively received but they're hiding it or pretend not to know it.
2. The playerbase that was vocal about it (like on Twitter) actually just make up a small portion of the community and the engagement they received from the event was deemed successful.
3. They were simply oblivious and didn't care about what others had to say and they just wanna took it wherever the hell they wanted.
I truly don't know what to think or say more tho after typing this out 🧍🏻♂️
I know who leaked it. It was not EA. It was an actual tester. someone tried to convince them not to - so I have to dispel that.
I DO think the events are feeding into the same model of FOMO and spikes of engagement. they can report higher periods of engagement to investors. I understand aspect of the cold business of it.. but I do believe it's a fleeting thing to chase after and one day may not be sustainable
@@SimmerErin Sorry I think I did not make myself clear enough 😭 "why did it come out the way it did" I was referring to the pre Alpha state or quality not the leak, in which it looks like a cheap mobile game that's almost identical but somehow worse than Sims Mobile. I know it's supposed to be the Mobile version tho but then again how different is the PC version gonna be if it's supposed to work cross-platform like it was stated?
I would think that the key demographic for The Sims would be anyone with money. That would be me. I can afford to buy all the packs, and do. I don't care about trends. I care about a functional game. I don't want trends delivered quickly. That sounds like a buggy mess. Give me quality, damn it! When I got those old TS2 discs, the game basically just worked. And it was fun, quirky and charming, with great animations. I wasn't looking for trendy. I just wanted to build my own little world where I could create stories. My rotational save file lasted for YEARS! Does EA have any idea who plays their game? I know they want new players. Do they have zero respect for existing players?!?
for rene, it is increasingly clear to me a lot of current sims 4 players are not their target
I started playing the sims as a kid with v1. I can still remember the awe of building a house and a family and letting them just go. As a teen, I played to be the happy gay person I couldn’t be IRL. Since then, I play as a form of expression and release. Maybe I’m having a bad week and need to relax with an idealistic happy life. Or maybe I’m happy and bored and want some chaos.
thank you so much for sharing this.
THIS< this is so much bigger than trend chasing- a meaningful connection with the game
I play the sims to escape reality, part of me feels like they are intentionally pushing out older players to make way for younger generations, unfortunately I’m part of the older player base 😢
yes, and right now this year especially, I resonate with escaping reality
afraid so... heck even gen z seems too old for them!
I suspect that the people who are talking this way have gotten their degrees in business marketing and don't really understand the *game* community. As you say, they may not understand why people buy (and play) games. As I've mentioned before, they're looking too much about how to grab new people, but forget that maintaining their base is important too.
You see this also in other games. Minecraft makes *all* its money from new subscribers. The base isn't as important because they don't have DLC. (They probably do make some money off of Realms and Bedrock's Marketplace, but I've read that the majority of their income is from new people buying and playing the game.) At least they "update" the game to make it more interesting to current players (although some of us have no interest in what they add.)
Once the Ivy League suits got into gaming, all of the heart and soul was gone.
And I fear it’s never coming bag.
EA has long been compromised and they’ll probably never have good games again
yup. I think they certainly are using analytics, but understanding how to use those analytics and aptly apply your interpretation is really important
i need it to be 2025 and for paralives to release so i never have to think about the sims or EA again. i literally can't take this anymore lol
I REALLY wanted to give this a chance but my goodness they're making me not want to so far
When is Sims news good?? Not your fault that this stuff is always a downer.
LOL occasionally it is, but it;s been extra bad lately, don't you think
@@SimmerErin Extra bad? No, just a longer amount of time between "good news" events. Like the difference between a headache and pneumonia, which you fight longer, and more symptoms etc..
Right. At this point, it'll be a miracle Erin has good news from EA AND that the community will agree is good news.
@@AutobotSimmer And it looks like Erins pnEAumonia will be giving her trouble for awhile longer at this point.
@@rosameryrojas-delcerro1059 looking forward to it 😆 nah I'll take breaks covering other games too to keep sane
As I said before, the Sims has evolved from a trendsetter to a wannabe fashion victim chasing after trends. It's rather pathetic to be honest.
The Sims is no stranger to pop culture references, but back in Sims 1 or 2 they are mostly timeless pop culture references. The trends in Sims 4 feels... like microtrends aesthetics that people will drop it when a new shiny thing is introduced in tik tok. Or perhaps they no longer cater to this aging millennial lol.
yes. the pop culture in past games really I feel was an extra too- not a focus
Nah, we millennials are to old now lol once you're past 25, you clearly don't game anymore right
@@SimmerErin we are either too busy or more selective on our gaming hahah. Or took up other hobbies, which is never a bad thing.
Exactly! I feel the same way. Sure does seem like they are throwing away their whole fanbase. :/
1:40 spot on. many ppl mod bc base game is BAD. the oldest assets are very low quality and many systems could use updates, overhauls, QOL improvements… the trendy parts are such a small part of all mods
yes they are looking at the download numbers but really reaching the wrong conclusions- not bothering to ask why and what is so popular
I think they forgot what A GAME is. Cc creators can make wonderful visual being but what exactly are we going to play? Just dress up and house building?
they keep framing it as a platform; they have also used words ;like tools etc. the lack of discussion about gameplay is baffling
The annoying thing is that: if they want to treat the game as a platform instead of as a game... then a new entry is a great idea. Make a new base with improved QoL and things that are constant across all kinds of content: Seasons, generations, pets, etc. Then, you can have big expansions that fit more specific niches, the packs for trends, and kits for stuff that are niche but not worth a full expansion.
With this, then you could have as an example
Base game
Supernaturals expansion that adds spellcasters, werewolves, vampires, fae, mermaids, etc. Complete with mechanics around them like the crystal creations and paranormal, a whole fantastical world with a fantasy realm in it. Go the whole 9.
Then you could have a stuff pack based on popular things at the time. Themed around like media franchises. (Forgive me for not keeping up on modern media. I'm about to date myself) like a Scooby Doo, Supernatural, Buffy, or Ghost Adventures themed content.
Personally, I would add things as free updates to expansions rather than make them kits. But doe kits you could make them things like "Okay, we have casters, and you can kinda already make one... but let's make a little bundle for specifically the witchy vibes."
I dunno. I'm no expert in business. I run a shop that gets by on tourism and goodwill more than business, lol. But I feel like what Maxis and EA are doing is very tone deaf and is the wrong direction. They need to talk to players and start again, not... whatever this is
You know that was what I thought they were initially doing! looking back at a very early interview, they said the game would have more foundational materials like seasons etc and have dlc for more specific experiences
I think they are geting it wrong. Look at other games that are old and popular. I don´t think many of them are runnning after short time trends.
short term trends too just can't be applied to every game. feels like they aren't considering how to adapt to the game they have
Got to love how they tell people they aren't paying what they should be doing especially cc and mod creators who truly are the heros of our game at this point doing the job and creating the content and work arounds EA and The Sims 4 refuses to do! And the Sims 4 Gallery basically blacklists cc and mods instead of incorporating their work! They don't make it easy for creators to share builds and sims and such that contain cc and mods for the most part. I also love how the rest of us are to blame for their (a huge corporations') poor choices. I know I am no longer in the target demographic and for months now I've stopped by anything and now going forward will only buy packs on huge, discounted sales. I will still play Sims 4 because I enjoy the creative outlet but otherwise, I am kind over it all at this point. Like it's just become a huge turn off and let down for me and they aren't helping themselves. Maybe if they actually created good, not broken upon release content and listened to the majority of players they wouldn't be in their sinking ship. And maybe I am in my villain era now but good luck EA here's a bucket to bail water because you're going to need it! Follow those trends right down the drain LOL As for your question, my best friend whose even older than I am was playing Sims 1 back in the day on her Mac and when I would go hang out over her house she was addicted so I had to sit there and watch her play, eventually I became interested so I have been playing since Sims 1 but by Sims 2 I was so happy dividing my gameplay between playing and building that I was truly hooked. I think most simmers honestly come to the game from someone else. It would be interesting to get actual data on that. The kids playing Roblox will most likely stick with that and not come to the Sims. I just think it's that type of "generational" game and they are killing that aspect and not realizing that is where the money and marketing should be focused imo
apparently the new gallery will integrate cc and mods more... but all of it is very unclear. actually I am not entirely sure if it would be a new gallery or a revision- said to be stated across many games including rene, 4, etc
@SimmerErin I'm starting to think all these Rene updates, info, leaks whatever coinciding with the life and death pack and tarot all tie in together basically telling us older players things change. Embrace it. Get on board with our vision lol in that case I choose death! But I honestly think it's all related to them combining all the things alongside Sims 4. And yet we can't get multi functional lots. Make it make sense!!
The Sims (the original game) was the first computer game I played, and the first one I really wanted to play. The only thing I ever really wanted to do as a kid, was play pretend; I was always writing little plays, making up weird stories with my Barbies (they never got to enjoy the typical Barbie lifestyle, I'm afraid), even playing cars with my brother meant that all the cars had names, personalities, and family drama (yeah, I feel kind of bad about that now). And I was constantly making up and playing out stories, even while I was doing my chores. So The Sims was the first game to offer me a chance to do something I loved doing: playing out the stories I wanted in a world of my own without outside interference! As I grew up, of course I branched out to other games, but I kept returning to the Sims ( and later The Sims 3 - I had weird issues about 2 and only played it recently) because it scratched a particularly strong itch I had: the need to create and try on dozens of different lives. So yes, the direction they are going with online only multiplayer mobile games is completely worthless to me, not to mention depressing. Their need to chase pop culture trends baffles me, as I would argue there is no such thing; just a bunch of different niche cultures and you subscribe to the ones that interest you. I do think that the audience for something like what Project Rene appears to be is likely to be a different one from the audience which love the main Sims titles; but if you chase after a new demographic while alienating your current fans, you are not going to grow your audience. (Also, on a side note, I wish companies would wise up to the fact that infinite growth is a myth and sometimes the best way to keep bringing in money for your shareholders is just hold steady.)
At any rate, I am doing my best to undermine EA's weirdness by making sure that all the kids I know get introduced to earlier Sims games, so they know what a good life sim looks like. And most of them prefer the older games over even Sims 4, once they've had a chance to play them. Just because someone is young doesn't mean they don't recognize quality; they just have to be introduced to it or have the chance to try it for themselves. 😁
I came to The Sim for the LIFE SIMULATION it showed in TS2. I came to see the choices my sims would make based on their traits, experiences and opportunities. I stayed for the unique out comes that you could never predict due to each sim being different. I enjoy looking at the memory of a sim I am not controlling to clearly explain why they make certain choices in life. All of this is missing from The Sims 4. 😭
exactly what drew me to the sims as well.
What made me interested in the sims was seeing a commercial for hot date back when it was on TV. I wanted to play so badly but my mom said it looked too adult and she was also broke lol. Then I got to play a sample of it which lead my grandmother to getting me an Xbox original and I used my birthday money to get me the first sims game for console. I played all of them on there until I had a PC and got the Sims 2 on there. When 3 came out I was able to buy my own stuff so I didn't need to ask. I loved the story modes on console and I loved being able to make different lives that made me spend HOURS on the older iterations. Now if I spend hours on Sims 4, it's because I'm trying to get it to work and not freeze or lag so much.
Trendchasing? Well that’s a big red flag.
I play out random storylines/scenarios or try to put in characters from movies, shows, or books that I find entertaining. But rarely are those anything contemporary or something I’d rely on current trends to make happen. Just give me a lot of the basics and have a supernatural and university pack then I can play out the rest with my chaotic mind.
right, it is indeed a red flag- not to mention, as per your own example of gameplay, it's not going to really be a big draw for loads of players. you need a solid foundation, first and foremost
I genuinely can't tell which parts of that are marketing speak, which are a serious design focus and which are somewhere in between. all I'm hearing is a lot of waffle I don't agree with, but I'm still missing anything substantive. TS4 is chugging along more or less as it has been and I doubt that will drastically change. all this talk feels rather empty. perhaps trying to satiate the want for more "transparency" or just to signal "openness" and "listening" to the community without doing much at all. I don't know what's going on, but to be honest I also don't really care. they have successfully alienated me and I'll probably ride TS4 till it crashes and burns, but I don't have to buy packs and kits and whatever else they come up with.
I feel like they want to cash in on trends fast for big bucks. They don't want to focus on replayability and depth; they don't care, they already have your money. Trend chasing is part of their goal to keep relevant and make a lot of money in the moment.
yeah, and maybe it will make them a lot at least a first- I question the long term strategy here
@SimmerErin Probably relying on customer loyalty or FOMO to keep some people locked in. Even if we get other life sims, people still still be loyal to The Sims 4, and there will always be people who buy anything no matter what. So EA will probably ramp things up and exploit them for another 10-20 years.
2:48 my god erin what would i do without ur channel 😭
in art, we often speak of how important the process is to the end product, how you should create with intention, let the project build itself up as you go. but all they seem to want us to do is rush through building, even get ai to make it for us, and play? even tho the sims is not known rn for in depth gameplay it’s weird
it is very weird! what is it with the emphasis on quicker??
The problem is GAMEPLAY! Why is it so hard for EA to comprehend this concept. People spend time and money in games that are engaging. They can try to market research themselves into a cash cow but I don’t see who this will resonate with? I have no desire to play any of the new “games” that they want to roll out.
they are focusing on everything but that aren't they
The sims community is vocal to EA about what we want - EA has even asked what we want in surveys & they’ve heard us share our voice over social media. So the fact that they are sooo off-base here really sends a clear message to their players they will push their own narrative regardless of what we want. There are plenty of ways they can add meaningful content to the game for players to buy before they start adding trends.
I started playing sims as a 7 year old because it was like a virtual dollhouse. There was just nothing else like it in my country at the time. And barbies were out of our budget. But video games costed around a fiver. The feeling just kind of stuck over the years
I think having some pop culture references is kind of fun when they break the third wall in clever ways but it absolutely shouldn't be the focus of the entire game. I primarily view The Sims as an alternative universe that doesn't necessarily follow the trends of the real world. I'll outright refuse to buy anything that uses real branding instead of Simlish. I think most simmers agree since every time they've tried incorporating real-life fashion and trends in packs it has failed spectacularly.
absolutely! past sims games of course had some pop culture references in fun and subtle ways- it just wasn't the main or an extensive focus
I've first watched my older cousins playing TS. In fact, my cousin's cousins brought the game with them while visiting our town. Soon, my cousin used CC to expand their game. It took so much time to install CC back in the day on a windows 98 😂. Before my parents bought our first ever PC, I had met my cousins to play Sims with them. As an primary school girl I was mesmerised with the first magic and holiday packs for the Sims. Soon, TS2 came out and I had my best memories with the franchise playing TS2. I liked both, playing and building in the sims 2. I stopped playing TS3 due to PC performance issues after the pet pack came out. I was more into gameplay when I played TS3. When TS4 came out I was so so so disappointed in the basegame itself that I stopped playing TS4 for years. Due to YT I found out that they updated the basegame constantly. I gave it a 2nd chance and here I am. I still think that TS2 and TS3 are the better simulation games. But I quite like building in TS4.
Are you me???? I actually almost gasped reading this
I watched others play the OG game, then I started with sims 2. I got sims 3 but had computer problems and didn't play of a long bit. I did however actually go back and played sims 3- truly for the first time- a little after sims 4 came out. still funny, the parallels. I don't feel sad for missing those early days of 4 though
Yeah. I will say, I am not a builder, but can easily tell sims improved a lot in terms of its building mode. I DO miss auto roof ha
Lol. I went back to TS2 after TS4 came out.
I guess, back in the day it was normal that we watched our friends and extended family members play games as not every single household had a PC or console. 😊
😂 the auto roof tool was a technology way ahead of its time.
It is clear that they are no longer marketing to people like me. All I've wanted from the makers of this game, since Sims4, was a solid foundation. The sims4 always felt like a bit of a step backwards, with the compromises made not even allowing the supposedly better running game, or smarter sims, or whatever else they promised in return, and it is simply years past it's best before date.
It's become obvious that they sims team has comepletely turned their backs on players (like myself at least) as they will not be developing the better, more robust, game many have been waiting for since 4 came out. I can even remember how "gurus" came out and made it clear that if the Sims4 did not do well, there would not be a Sims5 (this was quite early on when people were complaining about all the stuff the Sims 4 did not release with). Well, they did astonishingly well, and instead, they are deciding to take a super gamble by taking a game that is doing quite well financially and switching up the formula while heading into completely new territory. And hey, it could work out, but it's a serious gamble and could turn off your die-hard players while trying to entice a different generation to play. Other game and software developers thought they could do just about anything because they not only had the market cornered, but because their fan-base/users were insanely loyal.. but even those empires crumble, pull too many stunts, get too greedy, and it all falls apart.
I'll be switching to Paralives if it's any good, which it looks to be so far.
If it isn't, I'll prob still puter with Sims, but without pumping any more money into it if this is the route they choose to take
5:44 hmm. i started playing the sims because i’d been watching it on youtube for a while.
let me set the scene.
i’m 9 years old, staying at my older cousins house, and watching her play the sims 3. she made big houses, and had a lot of babies 😅 a few years later, around the time ts4 came out i was watching some irish simmer’s Frozen sims 3 series- i got ADDICTED, i loved the way the simmer tried to tell the story of the film and then strayed from it eventually, making her own story.
that christmas, i get the sims 4 and am very underwhelmed 😂 😭 but i modded it to hell and mostly built and made sims, but sometimes tried to tell stories. i ended up having my laptop taken by my dad and haven’t played modded since like 2017 but i always just liked the stories you could tell, the way you could recreate tv show characters and their houses.
on console now i have to be more creative, i have more packs but ofc no mods. and no game files. if i had been on pc when the insane save files started dropping, i would have been unstoppable. and i would have a backup of my victorian world :’)
As far as keeping up with interior design and fashion trends (if that's all this interview was talking about), a CC creator will always be able to create and release the most on-trend items faster than a corporate game studio could ever. Good items are good items, no matter if they're on trend or not. Making good assets that people will actually like and want to use for a decent length of time should be the goal when working on a big corporate studio game like The Sims. It's impossible to not be influenced by trends, trends influence all, but if they try to get every fashion and design trend possible, regardless of if the trend is any good or anyone on the team understands the trend/movement, that is a BAD idea. For the trends that will age gracefully, they'll be good for a long time even if they don't get added into a game until after the trend's died down, but a bad trend that dies off quick is a shit idea to add into a game, people won't want that in their games.
I started playing the sims because I was watching other people play it (mainly lil Simsie) and was super jealous and wanted to play it too, especially after finding out my mom used to play Sims 2. Then after years of playing TS4 I realized all the problems with it, especially after watching Pleasant Sims talk about it in comparison with TS2. Luckily I managed to get access to my mom’s old copy of the sims 2, but TS4 is still my main game because I get excited to play by watching others play the game, giving me new ideas of what to do in my own game (people don’t really do this for TS2 anymore unfortunately so I’m more motivated to play 4).
I’d say what’s most important to me is gameplay. Oblivion is an objectively HIDEOUS game, but I still play it because I like the game play. When I launched TS3 for the first time I bursted out laughing at how ugly they were, but then got super excited because I was presented with an opportunity to use the color wheel. I have almost every single Sims 4 pack that is out, and my gameplay just feels hollow. I have to actively make up my own story - but when I was playing TS2 I had a story line in my head that the sister would take after her mother’s love of ballet and the brother would do football. Turns out, the sister HATED ballet and the brother loved it!! That’s just not a thing in TS4. They’ll always do what you tell them to do. There’s no room for shock or excitement.
Basically, I want the gameplay to be fun. I want to have stories come about organically instead of having to make them up entirely on my own. I couldn’t care less about graphics or trendiness.
I played sims since the beggining - Sims 1, and I don't want sims to change to a kind of mobile game, neither that forces me to play in multiplayer, so if the sims change to that kind of games - I'm out - I was the one to buy at launch, games expansions, packs, etc but nowadays I don't feel the urge to do it - for example I didn't buy lovestruck - at present expansions don't feel like expansions 😞
Thanks for thoroughly and accurately reading the posts
yes! I find some of these interviews depressing, but it's a way to understand a little more about what is going on internally
Im a millennial who remembers the very first sims game and still enjoy it to this very day.
I must say im old school on why I still play to this vary day. I like to just build and create my own stories in the sims. I’ve always saw the game as a dolls house for video gamers rather than the other genras. Even sim city was a simple game of just wanting to build your own world.
With EA they basically over complicated on what the game is and what it thinks it should be. They have moved away from the sandbox play for being in favor of online and social play. The sims has never been like Minecraft or fortnight but yet they want to change its basic concepts to it. I think those who remember that concept will stay with the older games. The later generations and those who are new will buy into this new concept because that’s all they have see with modern gaming. Even with games like FiFa you have multiple prices on the game and if you want dlc then you pay for more. Or with mobile games are all micro transactions.
I am a millennial too (born in the 90s)- watched the first sims game some but was told I was too young ha, so I started with sims 2. your view is fairly similar to mine. now I am happy I got involved w/ the online community and met others, but my view of the game is indeed in line with the main appeal of it being as you say
I also agree they are trying to echo the playstyle of some of the most popular or lucrative games
so, random thoughts while i listen since i like lists lol.
1. what the heck is an entertainment platform in this context? the sims games are all video games, not consoles or multimedia platforms for a variety of purposes or uses.
2. i wont lie, even though i hate what they are saying, they are onto something with their idea of leaning more heavily into current trends. i mean if a water bottle like Owala can go viral when its just a water drinking thing, then its not out of the realm of possibility for a video game to go viral or trendy if it takes advantage of current trends either. the problem with that though is that while a trend can easily pull people in, you gotta keep them coming back after that trend has passed, and smarter companies than EA have tried to make that formula work and failed.
3. the fact that she keeps referencing the "speed of pop culture" and how they are trying to keep up with it sorta concerns me. because the first method i instantly thought of when i asked myself how to even begin to make that happen, was more AI systems, since those can produce stuff a fraction of the time it takes live humans to do it. and personally i already feel like AI systems are being overused to the detriment of real live workers who, you know, need jobs and money?
4, "peoples attention spans are getting shorter." Erin i'm a millennial, don't make me rage about that because i WILL lmao.
5."that is why it is important to ensure we're looking at and are available on all those places" translation: we want to make the most money possible.
6 the thing that brought me to the sims in the first place was actually very simple, the possibilities. at the time it was the only game of its kind to allow you to play with life, but also create so many different outcomes and scenarios, such that it never played the same twice. i fear that is no longer the case...
7. idk what makes me more uncomfortable about her interview. the fact that it makes me feel incredibly old and out of touch and im not even 40 yet. or the fact that i know these companies spend a LOT of money on market research to figure out how to milk the most money from people, so this interview must be the result of said market research. meaning that i am WILDLY out of touch with what their market research apparently tells them that their target audience wants...
also side note, she mentioned people in the community several times and how important they are to the success of the sims games. why does that translate in my head to EA and Maxis treating them like unpaid interns and using their efforts to sustain their own platform, while giving them nothing monetary in return?
1. I guess that screenshot of investor day.... all their games on one central platform with a shared gallery. like a streaming service where you watch many things... but they haven't explained it much
2. yes.. I mean, I do think you can add some longe r lasting trends in some content- whether that is collabing with cc creators (like a kit) or a small event. My issue is hyperfocusing on it- and indeed, its not going to be a sustainable formula imo
3. Good call. though not mentioned here, I do believe generative AI may be part of their plan for this to keep up the pace
4. :D I am a millennial too. SOO
6. agreed, I def. resonate with that
7. I'm in my early 30's (I typed 40s my goodness) and it's crazy because people of all ages play... Idk, I think there are ways to appeal to some younger audiences without excluding others...
You said it’s so perfectly. The Sims franchise has lost focus on the reason why people enjoy playing the game. Sadly, we see this all the time, where companies make huge gambles and end up failing and losing a lot of money. And this might just be the beginning of the end to the Sims franchise.
right, it isn't even that all this is bad in isolation.. it's the reliance on it
every sims game is a bit of a time capsule, look back at the artists they used to collab with (the PCD, katy perry, lily allen, natasha beddingfield, MCR) look at the fashion, the hairstyles, even the furniture
i think the real problem is that 1) trends move WAY faster these days thanks to social media and short attention spans, and 2) previous entries had a WAY shorter lifespan than the sims 4, not to mention they plan to keep it going even longer
the sims always had trendy pop culture references, but a combination of a game that's FAR overstayed its welcome (TS4) and a trend cycle that's literally impossible to reasonably keep up with is just not a good mix
Most people love the Sims for the gameplay, which Sims four has lack there of you have to use too much of your own brain to actually make it interesting and fun so now everybody has turned to building over the past 10yrs for entertainment because people are tired of playing a lackluster game if they don’t see that right now then they never will and they won’t and then there won’t be any next GEN Sims anything who was gonna spend money on something that’s not fun. It’s a game for everybody not just builders.
As a Modder myself, I wont ever Agree to making items for the game to be sold I am Free CC creator there is no way I wanna paywall at all That includes EA paywalling. My other concern is as a CC ceator once you sign your NDA Have you Signed that any and all creations you Make are Owned by them Completely giving them rights to whatever, I cant help but feel there a shady area in this and being EA yeah I sure there a Sly Side in all of that, I be free And happy to share as I always has done, why Is aout Supporting a game I love and teh community. as for EA trying to stay afloat They divided us many a time on a variety of things now It be just Oof.
I think the sims project stories should not be on mobile but be represented a pc spin offs , no online stuff but authentic stories like mysims or Urbz.
They don’t want to give us the sims 5 even tho that’s the major thing a lot of people ask for ALRIGHT but at least give us an interesting spin off……
We don’t care about you caring about trends or you finally communicating with us we just want what we ask for , for people who still play the sims 4 having their games fix and you guys finally working on something serious and decent instead of a floppy online game.
You are not hyper focusing on bad news, it is just EA has been bombarding us with so many of those for a while now
Extremely frustrating
yeah, just really hasn't been a good period to say the least
I have nothing useful or interesting to say about these choices, other than adding my voice to the collective “ew”
As for your own question about how we came to the sims, I was a SimCity addict and the idea that I could manage the people who made up the little population pixels delighted me. I enjoyed the OG game because it was funny and unique among all other games I played. Both as a resource management game loop and a storytelling tool, it was hard to turn off even though it was a very simple game
ah I like sim city as well, terrible as I was at it.. I think it was the second game
I can't be the only one who does not care about trends at all can't think of any recent trend that was not worthy of an eye roll.
I started playing for relaxation I am 62 and have been playing since the first sim came out.I get to be me making it my own game.
just a bit younger than my mom- she loves sims as well. I feel like people of all ages actually really like being able to do just that/ I mean, I get that they are trying to reach younger gens, but it feels like they are losing sight of what has made this game a go to and special for so long
It seems like the leadership is mistaking the work of Modders over all these years as ‘trends.’ And now they want to build a business model on this idea of what they think are ‘trends’ but, people didn’t turn to mods because of ‘trends.’ We wanted quality, imaginative, and useful additions (not to mention FIXES) that the company did not provide over the last 10 years. And, they are very busy pursuing new money from a very specific type of online player base who are already used to paying for micro-transactions. We spent a decade feeling undervalued and ignored, feels like they are openly stating our old money is no longer needed here.
yep, complete misreading and wrong focus
For me I started after watching a friend play the first sims game, and the I started with sims 2 mostly just with making music videos which I think that kind of content has gone downhill as well because I don't see a lot of it anymore.
ah that's so cool you made music videos though. you never know, things could come back. I started with sims 2 as well after watching a friend play the first
I played Sims to make my favourite TV show characters and houses. I really don’t like the direction that the Sims team is going. I agree they’re forgetting why people play and just looking at profits. 😢
If that's the case, then they need to make it easier for modders to create their mods. And stop rolling out mod-breaking updates every other week or so. We've lost a lot of great modders because they were sick of having to update all their works everytime Sims4 attempts to roll out a fix for their broken packs, we're sick of it.
well, updates are needed for bug fixes...
Following trends feels like a strange direction to me. With a 10 year old game you are looking for representing a more universal experience, rather than following quick lived trends. Also, if you have a good product, people will talk about on their own, and everyone knows Sims 4 is shaky quality wise. They will absolutely alienate their old player base this way, in my opinion. Not that I think they would care, as long as they keep attracting new players. My favorite part of the Sims is telling stories, and trends are absolutely not essential for that.
I played the Sims 1 along with all of the expansion packs back in the day (Unleashed and Making Magic were my favorites). I loved the game and played it for years until it was no longer supported by Windows or EA. When The Sims 4 went free-to-play, I tried to like it but just cannot bring myself to play it for very long. It is like so many other games on the market today - grind games. The player does the same thing over and over again and build mode is a nightmare. I have yet to spend money on The Sims 4 because the content you receive is not worth the money you are paying. If EA remastered the original Sims 1 game along with the expansion packs, I would purchase them all as long as the build mode, gameplay and graphics were still the same. The Sims 1 was just a better game all the way around. Moving forward, Paralives is the game I will be hitching my star to.
I would LOVE remasters! and as a plus I Never got a chance to play the first game
In 10 years we're gonna be watching a video by Company Man called "The Rise and Fall of The Sims"
ngl I have watched a fair few videos by them lol
I starting playing the sims during 2020 because i needed a break from the pandemic and an escape. I stayed because despite all its bugs, it’s a dopamine machine. I’m not young and i haven’t been playing the sims for 20 years. I have zero interest in whatever the heck project Rene is or becomes and I think the sims4 is gonna be my first and last sims game, unless they make the sims 3 free to play. My middle school age nephew tried the sims, got bored and went back to Minecraft. I think that’s pretty typical of that age group. Nobody among his friends plays the sims, it’s strictly an old lady game for grownups. Maybe EA is trying to grab the youth back but I predict they will fail. “The youth” have already moved on to other games.
I don't think you're being negative, i think you're being honest and fair, it's been tough lately with some of the Sims news. I don't mind a little pop culture but like if it doesn't feel dated after 5 minutes. Like them added Star Wars costumes to base game and silly things like that. I got interested in the sims after watching a few videos and reading some articles about crazy things people did in the sims. It sounded funny, plus the base game was free for a limited time.
Yep agree. a little pop culture is fine, fun even. just weird to place it as a focus
At this point, we're so close to Skibidi Sims 🤧
we may very well be ha
Electronic Arts was only once a "normal" company in the mid 80's and early 90's but like Activision EA also changed direction and these companies stay afloat by monetizing every inc they can in gaming. The mobile segment is already a red flag and normal people will not touching them and there are already many examples of bad mobile games that literally sells you the game multiple time.
The content creators could do a favor and skip Sims altogether and then (EA) heavy reliance on fans will goes away and plans will change quickly once they will not get a dime from you and others.
Also EA was one among the many companies whom likes do kill fan creations but in this case they realized popularity is more valuable than axing a fan project. The list of companies, games and fan creations they axed due greed is high.
The only good news is other life simulator games could get a foothold and prove themselves to be a better alternative than the Sims. A healthy competition is what really needs and vote with the wallet.
Very insightful, thank you. Yes, the AAA industry itself has shifted quite a bit. Monetization standards, live service models and certain ways to push for engagement of course are very different than what we saw in past decades
It really should be studied how immensely terrible their decisions have become to leave such a bad taste in a once beloved franchise. This was not what Will Wright envisioned.
it'd be quite interesting to study, over the years:
1- shift in marketing
2-shift in launch of every game
seems like theyre running the franchise into the ground. completely ignoring the current player base. calling it entertainment vs a game. its a game. theyre not being innovative by trying to change that. theyre so obsessed with people making content out of it they dont even care the the players want. the people who go to this game for fun, escape, creativity, stories... this is so frustrating. i dont care about trends. since when do simmers care about trends? maybe im basing this off myself, but simmers are not the popular kids? i started playing this game in 2000 and was so excited about the drama, the story telling, and the seemingly unlimited possibilities. every time they tell us more news i get less and less interested in continuing to support the franchise. which is incredibly hard for me as i am neurodivergent and a bit obssesed with this game. its making me want to play less and less. the more they talk the more im letting go. which feels a bit dramatic, but im so disappointed in the direction theyre going.
also about the trends... the only way theyre going to keep up with that is to push content out quickly and half-done. ive never seen so many trends in and out of popularity in my life. so many micro trends. theyre signing themselves up for failure.
they seem to want to make this a whole media empire what with the movie merch and more.. I agree too I don't see this as a game popular kids would flock to? don't many of us come for an escape so to speak?
Thank you very much for sharing your perspective and no I don't think you are being dramatic
Not surprised, but still disappointed. It is such an emotional roller coaster to (want to) love a game so much while the company that runs it *openly* does not care about making the game enjoyable for players - or even functional most of the time (like how did they not even have a special bug fix team until recently? Until it became literally impossible for a large group of players to play at all). Openly relying on the commuity to make your game playable is NOT okay.
Ueah this us definitely going to piss off the community. Adding to how the gurus don't so anything, it's up to mods/ cc. It has me thinking about the difference in reaction if this statement was made during ts3.
In a way this statement is right but also like you said, it sounds like forgetting generations of players. It's easy not to do that wuther. Ts5, Project Rene, the mobil game. Getting more players and certainly more money.
I def am not on the gurus do nothing train. I think they do things within restraints they have. I have long felt the upper management is the main problem
Hey, EA! Games that work are ALWAYS trendy!
timeless, classic, go figure
At this point, Im just waiting for Inzoi
I'm pretty sure it's their job to make sure that The Sims stay relevant and they are not gonna grow any audience if they abandon their old audience with their actions. What are content creators gonna do? Make sims4 build videos for 20 years? because I'm pretty sure there will not be a lot from content creators when it comes to Rene.
indeed, what strikes me is how the impetus is being placed on players- seems backwards
Not defending EA, but as far as Mods go... I can live without them. Haven't found anything that improves my gameplay.
MCCC destroys my game saves and adds bugs to the already bugged game when it claims it fixes them.
WW has some depth with pregnancy pills and menstrual cycle, but that's very weird for me to gameplay with as a male player.
CC clothing/hair I never found any that fits the game aesthetics, always sticks out like a sore thumb.
I don't think players are able to fix the game on their own, when they constantly send out "updates" that break that thing or the other.
I don't actually use any mods at all in my sims games. So I agree some of us play without - and of course, console players cannot at all. I have used cc in the past in sims 4 (only thing I keep is lashes) and I have def. used more cosmetic cc for sims 3. but I'd also and many times do play any sims game with nothing at all
and of course, cc and mods should be extra. not something a game is reliant on
a lot of players- it must be said- do not maintain their mods at all ...
People still play old sims games and could care less about trends. A good game is a good game, even if the clothes are out of fashion lol
But EA can hardly make a functional game…
They are so disconnected with the game and community its crazy
I feel like they're very focused on what they think investors wanna hear
I want Quality over Quantity.
exactly
Don't get me wrong it's cool that the community content creators has kept this game relevant but how are they supposed to keep it relevant when the game is so broken they can't constantly keep depending on them if they can't fix it themselves or wanted to be spread Word of Mouth so until they actually make improvements on certain things I feel like all Community content creators should do whatever they like🤔
How out of touch with reality can they get? It's a game, not a platform.... for me it's a game where I can escape reality by having my sims having an easier life than me, it's all about gameplay
with their merch, the movie etc- they are seeing sims as a brand/ universe to capitalize on even more
Sounds like they're going down the "Bud Lite" avenue. They need to remember who their consumers really are. These flighty tweens or people that have been playing for Decades.
I would say even if they are targeting younger people, then marketing My Sims or whatever. and I don't know even the younger people all want shallow mobile experiences?
I recently turned forty so I know I'm not anybody's target audience anymore. 😂 But it's sad that they're so focused on being trendy instead of making the game fun again. I've played since the first game back in 2000, and while I enjoy The Sims 4, I feel it's lacking what made the game so interesting. But maybe I'm just old and sentimental. 😜
I don't think so. I am younger, but also a millennial. (young end).. and if you think about it, the game started in 2000, and there are many who play that are older than us too. I also think the gen below still would like a quality game. I sincerely think at least that gen z has expressed interest in quality games.
I highly doubt anything they do will appeal to the new Gen. New Gen is into very fast paced games where you can flaunt something you bought to other people - which doesn't seem like something Sims can pull off even with an online feature.
Meanwhile, they'll keep losing our Gen... with stressful limited time broken events and other fomo inducing strategies they're trying to adopt...
maybe, though we must keep in mind
1- people vary a lot as individuals in a generation
2- different locations and regions and cultures
3- gen alpha is still very young- the years of birth are roughly 2010 to present. so only the very oldest are entering to teen/ preteen years.
the sims franchise was slowly going down the Toilet since the sims 3 The sims 2 was the last best sims game it just suck that EA is RELYING On Creators to keep their cash grab game going
Fix the game first! Worried about the WRONG shit 🙄
Yeah it is clear as day that they do not know simmers anymore. I wonder who they try to fish with those statements? More shareholders? The Roblox kids that will stay in Roblox and Fortnight and their mobile games? They seem to panic that they lose the younger generation (who focus on playing on stuff like mobile and handhelds more and more.). Dragon Age the Veilguard has the same identity crisis atm. EA is in full panic mode if you ask me. Andy Wilson wants to go full Ai to stuff his pockets with all them dollars which exist on the planet so...devs at EA do not have an easy time atm nor a secure perspective for their future workplace.
I think they indeed are fixating on those models and thinking they need to cash in by implementing it on the sims.. yet they are losing sight of the very reason most probably play the sims
i am getting really tired of this executive corporate lingo. hear it enough at work to know the sims property has really lost its sense of creative ideas n art. i can tell AI is only going to make things worse. i just think the sims talk more than they do. everything has felt increasingly negative since we found out sims 5 is not a thing anymore. i was looking forward to the sims 4 being done. so i can play freely w my mods and custom content w out having to deal a new patch or update every other week
and i understand u can turn off updates but the game will not work if you don’t update. things just start going wrong. i wish i could just play my game w out having to worry if my mods are out of date everytime a new pack comes out. i’ve made a pact w my bf that we aren’t gonna buy anymore packs cause we fall. into the same cycle everytime
I frist got into the sims with The Sims 2 for Game Cube. I wanted to make girls kiss girls.