Out of the many gaming franchises out there that have forever taken the hearts of gamers from everywhere, you can count the very few that are instantly recognizable on the fingers of your two hands. You’ve got Mario, Grand Theft Auto, Warcraft, Counter-Strike (or Call of Duty, of course!) and a few others.
And then you have Sims, probably the most famous simulator ever made for gamers of all ages. Because yes, Sims is not just for kids. Actually, kids play it just for the fun, not being able to understand the logistics behind the game until later in their lives. Adults play the game right, putting in the effort to make the most out of their experience while developing their characters, homes and neighbourhoods. What is Sims?
For the few uninitiated, Sims is a game in which you develop people, for lack of a better word, as well as their houses. You can go even further and develop not just their characteristics, both in appearance and way of being but also their families, friends, houses, and even entire blocks.
The best part about the Sims game is that you will be able to constantly add things to the lives of your characters, not just by the base game but by the many Stuff packs available to buy online. Launched in 2014, the newest Sims, the fourth instalment, will soon get its predecessor. But first let’s look back at how Sims came to be and developed into the franchise it is today.
A Short Sims History
Before diving into the matter at hand and talking about what we know about the fifth Sims, let’s look at the history of the franchise. How did Sims come to be? Who is behind the game, the idea of turning the creation of a human character into the main protagonist of a game? How much of a Sims fanbase is out there in the world? These are just some normal questions anyone who’s new to the franchise might ask.
SimCity (1989) - A unique game at its time, SimCity is a city-building simulation game of great importance in the genre. You could never win the game, but neither lose at it. No cinematics would greet you as you would watch the loading screen, and the ending... well, it was nowhere to be played. Yet, the game was a success, and the publishers later turned their little adventure into a full-on company, Maxis, publishing SimCity in 1989. Although starting slow, the game picked up momentum and got popular. After many awards, the game was even used in city planning by architects.
More Sim Titles (1990 onwards) - Seeing how he'd struck a chord with the gamers who were into hobby-related games, the company Maxis put out many other Sim titles throughout the 90s. Some of them were sequels to the SimCity main game, while others were called SimAnt or SimEarth. Experimenting with many genres long enough, including their edition of 3D Pinball on Windows in 1995, the studio was finally acquired by Electronic Arts in 1997. The merger was a great deal for the company, which was now able to expand on the simulation games and truly shine under the umbrella of EA.
The Sims (2000) - After losing their home to taxes, Will Wright started wondering what was the motive behind people replacing their belongings with new ones. What would be enough for people to feel happy, or at least content with their status. He began working on a game that was designed so that players would build their virtual home and fill it with items, followed by some sort of a score about how good or bad the final product would turn out. This is how the Sims game was born. Sims were complicated video gaming characters with traits and feelings, as well as money in their bank they could've spent on anything. EA immediately gave Wright the team he needed to put the game together. The legendary Sims was released in February of 2000.
The Sims 2 (2004) - After many expansions and Stuff packs, as well as an online version, the second Sims was released back in 2004. In a game with more personality than ever, the characters could now form memories and perform better or worse determined by their Wants and Fears. Sims could now be either family or career-oriented, longing for either money or power. They would now be able to remember key moments of their lives, both good and bad, and meeting their goals would make them happier.
The Sims 3 (2009) and The Sims 4 (2014) - The jump from a simple game to a worldwide sensation was made in steps and with great caution. Leaving the Sims team behind at EA, Wright's ideas would later be implemented in the third and fourth Sims respectively. The engaging worlds that the characters would themselves put together were even more exciting than before, with many new and addictive Stuff packs and expansions at the ready. With the addition of toddlers, pets and other characters, the newer Sims would gather an even larger following among players new and old.
What Do We Know About Sims 5
Now that you know what the Sims franchise is all about, let’s look at the rumours, as well as the official data that we have on the Sims 5. The newest Sims will be released shortly, yet there’s no big release of a game like a new Sims without the regulatory pre-buzz. In fact, according to the buzz, there’s no name for the new Sims yet. For all we know, Electronic Arts might give this new Sims a name, not just put a number after it.
Hearsay - This is what we can say about most of the information that we have about the game at this hour. Rumours are everywhere and say that Sims 5 is going to be a cloud-based game, incorporating a brand-new multiplayer option as well, a premiere for the franchise. While we did see a live gig taking place in the previous Sims 4, that's a good enough reason to suspect that the multiplayer option in the next one is a reliable piece of information. The goal is more likely a better overall connection with the community, which was lacking in the previous games.
Release date - There is no official release date for the Sims 5 yet. But if we take a look at the development of content for the Sims 4, we can assume that the release date for the next big game is not an event happening in the near future. All that we know for sure is that the next generation of Sims is in pre-production, according to the CEO of EA, Andrew Wilson, who stated the information during an interview for CNN. Taking this information into account, we might see the Sims 5 hit the stores as soon as the end of 2022. With a launch on the PC at first, you might need to wait for another few months for the console releases. With the previous two Sims released in 2009 and 2014 respectively, this is the longest gamers have ever had to wait for a new game in the series.
Sims 5 content - Right now, we have little to no information on what the new Sims 5 will be about. Sims fans can expect a few new and important updated though, such as better social interaction with each other, as well as a more competitive overall experience thanks to the multiplayer option that is being rumoured. In the same financial briefing that the CEO of EA has made in 2020, Wilson stated that the fifth instalment will feature single and multiplayer components. Developers are also planning to include some of the elements that were featured in the Sims Online game, which has been terminated, in Sims 5.
Platforms - If we were to analyse the previous Sims, the fifth title of the series will debut on the PC more likely than on any other platform. Before arriving on the Xbox or the PlayStation, the game will have its computer release first, as has ever been the case with the Sims titles. Another certainty is that the game will come as a cross-generational entity, given the many multiple generations of consoles in use today. If they do take their time more than they should though, producers might end up with a new game that's unplayable on older consoles, simply because older generation tech can be out of date by the time of its release.
What To Expect From Sims 5
Sims 5 will be about much more than just a new base game. As it goes with any new big release this new game will also be about the many extras, the Stuff packs and other expansions. These are many times much more exciting for players than the actual games. So far, we know very little about what these will look like but we’ve heard some buzz about them.
Stuff packs - Just like with the expansions, no Sims release would be complete without their Stuff packs. We don't know as of yet just what these packs will look like but then again, we can think about it from previous experiences. Usually, the DLCs will be announced sometime after the game is released on at least the PC. Previous Sims Stuff packs came with additional content for the homes, outdoor living, clothing, vehicles, and fun. The fourth Sims has so far released 16 packs for the fans, including the famous Moschino clothing brand collaboration. The Sims 3 offered 9 Stuff packs, while the 2 came with 10. Sims 5 will surely offer as many Stuff packs as the community will wish for, and then some!
Expansions - No expansions are yet to be officially announced for the future Sims 5, which is to be expected at this stage. Yet based on previous releases, there will surely be many expansions to be enjoyed once the Sims 5 will be released to the public. The gaming community has talked about the many additions the game will have once the base version will come out, such as the Careers, the Pets, and the Seasons, which are all classics of the expansion system. Another possible scenario is the rolling out of some more RPG-like expansion packs, now that the game will be enhanced by multiplayer capabilities. We will most likely see the University and Supernatural packs, as well as the ones about Island Life, City Life, or Celebrity Life, just as it were the case with the previous Sims. Nothing is official yet but surely, we will get our fair share of expansions with the fifth instalment.
And there you have it, this is our complete overlook at the upcoming Sims 5, one of the most awaited games of the 2020s. It’s not much that we can say for certain about it but the fact that, yes, it is finally coming, most likely at the end of 2022, which is great news for fans waiting for a new Sims since 2014. As with all great releases, there’s a great deal of programming and design going into a new title to make it impeccable. The people at EA taking their time is just an assurance that the new Sims 5 will match the expectations of millions of avid gamers around the globe.