Maxis and EA finally gave all the simulation game fans something to look forward to. While they didn't give an official release date for The Sims 4, they did at least give a window as to when fans can expect the game - Fall 2014.
Alongside the announcement, Rachel Franklin, VP and GM of The Sims Studio, said, "The Sims franchise has the best fans in the world and their passion and enthusiasm is at an all-time high. Those millions of voices will fuel our development process, helping The Sims 4 to be the most ambitious and the best game our studio has ever made."
The game comes with new creative tools, all-new Sims containing enhanced emotion and intelligence, allowing players to control the "mind, body and heart" of their Sims. But it seems there's no hope for that poor bearded fool who'd obviously love nothing more than to strangle those cackling hens and eat his pancakes in peace.
"We can't wait to see our fans reaction when The Sims 4 comes out in autumn 2014," Franklin added.
The game is up for pre-order from TheSims.com. Those who do are entitled to the game's Limited Edition, which comes with The Sims 4 Life of the Party Digital Content.
For those looking to go social, Maxis and EA learned from their always online requirement mistake with SimCity. As such, The Sims 4 is planned as strictly offline only game. Producer Grant Rodiek confirmed as much with VG247, saying simply, "The Sims 4 is an offline, client-based game."
Granted, this move is understandable given the PR nightmare the SimCity launch was, but this might be considered a giant step backwards. It's not that gamers don't like playing online, it's that they don't want it forced down their throats as a requirement in order to play the game. Technology is still a fragile thing, and most people don't like the idea of a $40-60 product rendered as little more than a paperweight because of a crowded server or shoddy internet connection, and rightfully so.
As a purely offline title, it's a pity players won't even be given the opportunity to interact with neighbors. So much for community...
Looking into the future, it's possible that The Sims 4 could one day make its way over to home consoles, but for the time being, the company is only looking at launching the game on PC and Mac only. We'll keep you posted as more information comes to light.
