EA: "If The Sims 4 Isn't Successful, There Won't be a Sims 5"

[Blachman201_v1legacy]

They are seriously resorting to outright threats, blackmail, and ransoming of theoretical future instalments of series now?

EA's ability to constantly set new standards in contempt towards costumers is bordering on being some sort of weird bizarro talent at this point.

 

[AT God]

EA are known to be liars when it comes to ultimatums about the fates of franchises and I think the only way there wouldn't be a Sims 5 would be for Sims 4 to be some earth-shattering failure, like a score of 10 on Metacritic or if game sales were under 100k within the first month or two, which I believe the preorders made impossible. However, I do think if Sims 4 doesn't meet their usually unreasonable expectations, they might put sequential Sims games on ice for a while, probably build the largest DLC library in Sims history for Sims 4 and then after a few years, when the game goes down in price and people start to buy bundles of game and DLC for a reasonable price, they will be able to argue that it was successful in the long run and will eventually fart out a Sims 5.

However, I think Sims 5 will be a tricky game because, and I am assuming what I just said was 100% accurate which it wont be, EA can interpret Sims 4's success in two distinct ways. The right way (in my opinion) would be to see that the game was panned at launch for clearly being a shill for DLC, with features cut bare to allow for more future DLC. Seeing this EA would realize that if they want to keep the series alive and seen as something worth a full price tag and not something to ignore for several years, they would put more effort into making the base game significantly better than any previous game, with not only new content and features, but also making sure to include all previous integral features from previous base games and improving them through adding additional content. One smart cookie might also decide to include features that are traditionally their best selling DLCs such as Pets into the base game at launch, making the game more appealing to purchase at launch instead of making people wait for their preferred DLC to come out first.

OR

They will notice that Sims 4 was panned at launch and only purchased as the DLC came out, and they will take this to mean that they need to make DLC available at launch, and also to make more DLC available over time, possibly but cutting features from the base game. Or creating DLC that is much more expensive but adds significant changes, such as new ages, new environments, new skills, new needs, etc.

Either way, I have an inkling that in the next few months, if the game is not selling well, they will say it is because they tried to be progressive and include homosexual relationships, completely ignoring that it has been with the series for years. They also might blame Russia's rating of the game and the homophobic nature of it. I hope they keep their mouths shut this time but it a mention of the gay argument isn't out of their ballpark given it has been their fall back the last few years.

 

[Charli]

GOOD.jpg can't stand listening to people wittering on about their bloody Sims family.

We get it, you're living out your fantasy of murdering your family in a boxed in kitchen fire. Blah blah.

 

[Spanglish Guy]

I can't say I am surprised to hear this, holding the series ransom to its performance. To be honest though I couldn't see EA actually cancelling one of their biggest cash cow series even if The Sims 4 does flop, and I personally want it to so that EA don't continue with this ridiculous stripping of features. But knowing EA they will likely just attribute its failure to something else as usual before maybe realising the problem further down the line.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

Oh snap! EA is making ultimatums now..you're treading on thin ice there EA.

You already screw your fans up to the point where majority of them boycott you.

 

[blubseabass]

The whole Sims 4 thing has made me sad to no end. Not because of EA. Ow no. Because of gamers.

I have nothing to do with EA or the development of the Sims, and I've been a great fan of it since the Sims 1. The hate TS4 gets is absolutely insane. I've played it 30 hours just this weekend and I can't wait to go home from work to play it again. I love it, and I especially love the new features.

Now you don't have to like the game. Go ahead and do not like it. You probably didn't like it before you played it to begin with. Fun is in the eye of the beholder. But what I absolutely despise is that Maxis/EA obviously took a gamble with their game, trying to improve the core at the cost of arguably stuff that is not the most important in the Sims, and all they get is hate. That is just unfair. The Sims 4 was born dead. The Sims 3 was the biggest addition a game could make. It could have never succeeded. We are so damn focused on loss, that we kill ourselves and our industry by demanding everything. Because we gamers always want fucking everything on a fucking silver plate and are such decadent pieces of shit that if 2 or 3 features from a previous iteration don't make it in the new iteration, we spew out or conservative hate all over those who are really trying to move the game forward. Absolutely despicable.

It's NOTHING like the SimCity, where the game just didn't work at launch. It's way more like Civilization 5 vs Civilization 4.

[REMOVED SNEER]

Yes, I'm furious.

 

[Candidus]

Here's what I'd like to know. I haven't bought the game but I've watched a little on Twitch and I'm thinking: "They removed some of the fundamentals from Sims, like a whole stage of youth. They don't have pools and everything added over the course of all the Sims 3 expansions has been left out-- which is alright and expected... But with all that in mind, where IS the work they HAVE done? It's uglier than I expected it to be (Sims 3.2 at best). There's nothing to do. The loading screens are everywhere forever. Isn't the Sims 4 just Sims 3 in a hick town with minimal services, nothing to buy and no hope of escape?"

I feel sorry for anyone who wasted their money. And if Sims 4 is the end, maybe it's for the best. Maybe they'll sell the license to someone competent once it's been languishing for a decade or so.

 

[JarinArenos]

Totally agree. I don't see this as 'holding the gamer base hostage', I see this as a completely reasonable business reaction. If the game is bad, so bad that the gamer base does not buy it, why on god's green earth would they put MORE time and energy and resources into something that lost money for them, instead of a different game or franchise that will make money and people enjoy?

Same reason Microsoft made Windows 7 after Vista wet the bed. Recognize that the screwup is your fault and move on to make a follow-up that isn't shit. I mean yeah, we're talking a game series vs. the world's most popular operating system, so it's a bit different... but have you seen the install base for The Sims? It's a smaller leap than you'd think.

 

[Blachman201_v1legacy]

Because we gamers always want fucking everything on a fucking silver plate and are such decadent pieces of shit that if 2 or 3 features from a previous iteration don't make it in the new iteration.

If you are going to be that angry, sneering, and sanctimonious, then at least do your research properly. It is more like 89 missing features, including some that has been in the series since the Sims 2, heck even since Sims 1 [http://ts4news.com/post/94541924952/89-features-missing-from-the-sims-4].

Not matter how you slice it, the Sims 4 is one step forward followed by three steps back.

 

[kuolonen]

The whole Sims 4 thing has made me sad to no end. Not because of EA. Ow no. Because of gamers.

I have nothing to do with EA or the development of the Sims, and I've been a great fan of it since the Sims 1. The hate TS4 gets is absolutely insane. I've played it 30 hours just this weekend and I can't wait to go home from work to play it again. I love it, and I especially love the new features.

Now you don't have to like the game. Go ahead and do not like it. You probably didn't like it before you played it to begin with. Fun is in the eye of the beholder. But what I absolutely despise is that Maxis/EA obviously took a gamble with their game, trying to improve the core at the cost of arguably stuff that is not the most important in the Sims, and all they get is hate. That is just unfair. The Sims 4 was born dead. The Sims 3 was the biggest addition a game could make. It could have never succeeded. We are so god damn focused on loss, that we kill ourselves and our industry by demanding everything. Because we gamers always want fucking everything on a fucking silver plate and are such decadent pieces of shit that if 2 or 3 features from a previous iteration don't make it in the new iteration, we spew out or conservative hate all over those who are really trying to move the game forward. Absolutely despicable.

It's NOTHING like the SimCity, where the game just didn't work at launch. It's way more like Civilization 5 vs Civilization 4.

If you don't want to play a new game, go play the old one you conservative decadent pig. Stay away with your pig arms from my developers that are trying to find fantastic new ways to improve my favorite franchises.

Yes, I'm furious.

Original post is about how EA would not make any more Sims if enough people stay away from Sims 4.

Blueseabass, apparent fan of series, tells people to stay away from his precious game and not touch it with our filthy pig hands.

What the hell am I reading here? I could go on to the claims about Maxis "bold" move to try new waters with Sims 4 but there is only so much time I am willing to sacrifice to efforts I fully well know to be futile.

OT: I don't Envy mister Gurus job. But the post that prompted the "no sale, no future" comment pretty much nails the bare minimum that should have been in Sims 4:
"SIMS 5

Here's what I'd like in the base game--pretty please?:

1. More than 8 careers, including typical sim careers such as the medical profession and business careers.

2. Please make actual babies, instead of objects that are tied to their bassinets.

3. Please include basic life stages including toddlers.

4. Please include CASt.

5. A complete open world without loading screens - unless you include a load screen to a separate neighborhood.

6. Please include varying heights in all age groups.

7. Please update the graphics to compete with Sims 3, and make it obvious that this is truly a 'Next Generation Game'; it doesn't have to be GTA V graphics, just something slightly better than TS3 and not so darn cartoonish. Please?

8. Please ensure there are minimal routing errors in the open world. If modders can do this, EA game devs should be able to do this. No?

9. Please ensure there is minimal clipping.

10. Please include basics such as swimming pools in the base game.

11. Please charge a reasonable amount for this. $70 is fine, because a base game like this would be worlds better than TS4.

12. Please include a family tree.

13. Please include realistic transportation--not teleporting."

Sad thing is, I first I glanced through it and thought "Ok, i'll include the most obvious necessary ones, I wont post whole 13 point list.", then I go trough the list, and facepalm as I realize they all really need to be included. Says something about Sims 4 as it is. Still, I am hoping the coming DLC will at least on some level fix this, which is also implied in some of Guru's comments.

 

[blubseabass]

If you are going to be that angry, sneering, and sanctimonious, then at least do your research properly. It is more like 89 missing features, including some that has been in the series since the Sims 2, heck even since Sims 1 [http://ts4news.com/post/94541924952/89-features-missing-from-the-sims-4].

Not matter how you slice it, the Sims 4 is one step forward followed by three steps back.

I admit sneering, sorry. Removed it. But now I have your attention, that list is not even close to accurate: some things were not in the sims 3 at launch, and other "features" like a trashcompactor are there, but not named the same.

There are features missing. And I miss some of them. The open world was nice, and I miss it. The color pallet was nice, and I miss them. I miss story progression. I also have my own personal little frustrations.

But the features added! I love them! You don't have to. But were you really playing the sims because of Toddlers/open world/pools? We are so blind for those awesome things added?(which cost time and money) I already had a few friends who were hating on the Sims 4 before launch, watched the misslist, comfirmed 2 or 3, and then went on throwing it away saying it's the spawn of satan itself. After 3 days they were enjoying it just as much as I was, because they calmed down (which ironically, I have to do as well! ;P) played the game cooly and with a fresh mind, and then enjoyed the living shit out of it.

What I really hate is that people prefer the resources to go to mundane stuff like pools or toddlers in favor of the new amazing base they settled. Of course they shouldn't make the Sims 5 if the Sims 4 fails. We're insatiably. You don't have to agree with me, but it makes me angry because so much progress seems to be frustrated to what's for me nothing but petty and loss-minded.

 

[hermes]

Well, except for the "please buy our game or we will be out of job", this is a fairly standard response from a producer. What did you expect? "We are currently working on Sims 5, and its going to be even awesomer. Don't buy that shit, because it will get obsolete in a few months." Besides, its not like they don't have a calendar planning for future DLC...

Of course they were going to say they haven't started with 5... The one thing worst than being said they are not worried about the future is to say they don't care about the present.

 

[Barbas]

Ah yes, blackmail.

I have so enjoyed their antics.

Boy, Sims 2 sure was fun, wasn't it? In fact, you might say that there's no point in buying another installment in the series ever again.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

"We're not working on Sims 5"
Of course not, most got fired and the rest is working on stupid spin-off add-ons for the next 3 years!

Also, what a pathetic attempt to get people to sink their money into this game by scaring them with the future of the franchise "at stake"!

 

[Roofstone]

I.. Did EA just blackmail me? Cause I like the sims.. I want good sim games. Therefore, not the fourth.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

Totally agree. I don't see this as 'holding the gamer base hostage', I see this as a completely reasonable business reaction. If the game is bad, so bad that the gamer base does not buy it, why on god's green earth would they put MORE time and energy and resources into something that lost money for them, instead of a different game or franchise that will make money and people enjoy?

Because the franchise has already proven it's printing money. 3 times to be more precise. The reasonable business reaction would be to stop, see why only the 4th time it isn't printing money and see if it's because the consumer don't want the franchise or if the 4th installment a lot worse than the previous games.
If it's the first reason, the logical reaction would be to stop making the franchise. However if it's the 2nd reason, the logical reaction would be to take the feedback of why it's not selling and combine it with the previous 3 installments to make a 5th one that is as good as the previous games.

The Sims 4 isn't selling well not because gamer don't want the game, it's because EA fucked up and people don't want to eat shit. Make a proper Sims game and it will print money like it did previously. This is holding the game base hostage.

 

[Unsilenced]

So is this their new marketing pitch? "Buy our game or the franchise gets it?" It's certainly an interesting tactic. They know people are suspicious of Sims 4's quality, so they're trying to get people to buy it anyways by shutting down any notion of "just hoping the next one's better." If you want a better Sims, you're going to have to swallow 4 first.

 

[michael87cn]

EA: We never want to be the worst company again

EA: Loves micro transactions

players: hate micro transactions

players: love the sims franchise

EA: releases sequel to popular game with unpopular model designed to exploit peoples loyalty or addiction for profit

EA: threatens their loyal customers...

EA: We never want to be the worst company again

Making progress, aren't they?

 

[000Ronald]

Company of the year material right there. "If you don't buy our game WE'LL TAKE OUR BALL HOME AND NEVER LET YOU PLAY IT AGAIN!"

Although, truth be told, I'm not all that worried about it. I only played the first Sims on my old Gamecube and I hated it. No great loss there.

...

...now if they were to say, by way of an example, "If Sims 4 doesn't sell enough, we'll buy Valve", I would break out into a cold sweat. Because that wouldn't just be despicable, that would be evil.