I won’t lie. I’m a fan of The Sims. But actually, that’s putting it mildly. I’m a huge fan of The Sims.
I’ve owned The Sims since it first launched in 2000, and have purchased and used every expansion, game pack, data pack, and kit. Also, most of my terabyte hard drive is used for Sims mods.
I’m the real deal. I talk to my cat in mock language. I use Sims inflection when I speak. Thankfully, I have very few real-life friends, so most people have no idea how much effort I put into my Sims.
Well, now you know. You all do this. The secret is out. To my surprise, The Sims has never had a “cat in the bag” scene. Maybe it’s coming.
There’s big news in the world of The Sims today. First, the long-rumored imminent release of The Sims 5 is no longer true. More on that later.
Speaking of TV fanatics, more relevant news is that Amazon-MGM Studios has landed a The Sims movie.
Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap production company controls the film, with Kate Herron (Loki) directing the film and co-writing the screenplay with Briony Redman.
Who knows how to bring cultural icons to life as well as Margot Robbie? Her experience with Barbie should benefit Sims.
Variety has learned that all the excitement surrounding the series is on the table.
From dust bunnies to a pool without a ladder (which was pretty fun until the Sims learned how to jump to the edge), they wanted to bring much of The Sims to life as a world of its own.
They promise tons of Sims lore (Bella Gott, anyone?) without even taking The Sims off the table.
If you didn’t know, Simlish is the Sims language, and after playing it for 25 years, it feels closer to my world than the foreign languages I studied in high school!
Considering that gameplay varies greatly from player to player, and because content creators have made extensive improvements to the game well beyond its core, many will likely be critical of the movie, no matter how well made it is.
Personally, I added a medical mod that includes heart disease, high blood pressure, and allergies. There are many changes during pregnancy that make starting a family more realistic.
The Childbirth and Casual Sex (WooHoo) mod will make you blush. There are also drug mods and gangs. If there are creative minds in the community, they will find a way to add layers of gameplay that can significantly change the gaming experience.
But I predict the movie will try to do what Barbie did: appeal to all ages, with the goal of a massive marketing push for more content and other Sims collectibles.
In fact, The Sims isn’t going anywhere.
While we expected The Sims 4 to follow the same path as The Sims 1 to The Sims 3, we now know that was no longer our plan.
There are a lot of complaints about The Sims 4, and most of them stem from shortcomings in other versions. The open world, world building, color swatches, vehicles, etc. are all left behind.
You don’t even have control over the pet, although it’s still a member of the Sims’ family, taking up valuable family-sized real estate.
But there’s still a lot of room for growth.
Although EA Games has tried online gaming (unsuccessfully), this is the top priority right now. Modders have already achieved this, so we know it’s possible.
This in itself could disrupt The Sims 4 as we know it.
You might think that quitting The Sims 5 is a bad move, but EA Games made this decision for the benefit of players.
Many of us have been playing games since the beginning, and we want to keep the family legacy intact. You can’t tell me you still don’t miss some of your family from previous games.
Losing a decade of family history will be tough. While it’s fun to start over, there’s comfort in knowing there’s more to come for your family.
While I may complain about not being able to control pets, I’ve created every deceased pet I’ve ever owned in the game. It would break my heart to have to say goodbye to them again.
With every new bag or kit, family dynamics change. Ancestors of current Sims have to do more with fewer resources, just like in real life. Improving the game is far better than abandoning it.
If you’re really hungry for something new, a few competitors will rise up hoping to get a piece of the Sims market.
But for those of us who love the sport and want to continue it, new innovations are welcome, and they’re on the way.
Who knows, maybe the movie itself will create a whole new level of gameplay. I knew I would stay and find out.
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