Sims 4 Offers Offline, Single-Player Play

[macscfan 117]

http://www.ea.com/news/the-sims-4-in-development-for-pc-and-mac

 

Maxis and EA today announced that The Sims™ 4 is currently in development at The Sims Studio for release on PC and Mac in 2014. The Sims 4 celebrates the heart and soul of the Sims themselves, giving players a deeper connection with the most expressive, surprising and charming Sims ever in this single-player offline experience.The Sims 4 encourages players to personalize their world with new and intuitive tools while offering them the ability to effortlessly share their creativity with friends and fans.

 

The Sims franchise is fueled by the passion and creativity of its millions of fans around the world. Your continued devotion to the franchise ignites the fire of creativity of the team at The Sims Studio, driving them to continually improve and innovate on one of the world’s most successful simulation game that has sold more than 150 million copies worldwide.

As a thank you for the support of the more than 30 million fans that share and discuss stories about The Sims across global social networks, we held a special VIP briefing this morning where several of the world’s top fans were amongst the first to hear the news about The Sims 4. They got to speak with the creative team for The Sims 4 and will have special access to the development team.

To stay up to date with the latest information please visit www.thesims.com/thesims4.

Help us spread the word! #TheSims4

I honestly don't know what to say.  I said earlier that it was a huge slap in the face to SimCity fans that they should force online multiplayer on us and then turn around and offer offline single-player play for the Sims 4, but at this point, the anger is just giving way to resignation that SimCity 2013 is just not the game for me.  SC4 runs just fine, there are several city building games in development (on smaller scales)...I wish I could sell SC 2013.

 

If the mods want to merge this into the online/DRM thread, I understand, I just thought it was really interesting how they made a big deal of spelling out that Sims 4 was offline/single-player.

 

Ironic, given that EA was trying to make everything have some kind of online component.

 

*sigh*

[Xenocity 343]

Sims 4 will have an online mode as well, even if it is just for The Sims shop.

 

 

Only EA's "hardcore" games are based around online play, due to online play being a key "hardcore" feature.

 

"casuals" don't want or care for online gameplay at all.

 

 

Obviously The Sims 4 is targeted at "casuals", while Simcity 2013, Diablo 3, Battlefiled 4, and others are targeted at "hardcore" gamers.

  Edited May 7, 2013 by CaptCity  

[dino_yoshi13 3]

I think the key idea here is that they actually learned something from their mistake in pushing Sim City online. I bet this was originally meant to be a online only game as well, but was transformed back to single player by the backlash on SC2013, especially since EA saw the market for SC2013 composed of mostly Sims fans. 

[cirugo 1,889]

I think the key idea here is that they actually learned something from their mistake in pushing Sim City online. I bet this was originally meant to be a online only game as well, but was transformed back to single player by the backlash on SC2013, especially since EA saw the market for SC2013 composed of mostly Sims fans. 

I don't think so.  Based on the reports I've read about how it shouldn't be that complicated to patch offline play for both city AND regional play in SimCity, I don't think they've learned a thing.  In fact, they continue to ignore those stories.

[CaptCity 4,932]

Since the article is about SIms 4, this has been moved here out of the SC13 forum. And let's remember to discuss the topic and not ridicule posters.

[Xenocity 343]

Developers include EA use market demographics and segmentation when developing their games.

EA even announced back in February when they reported their quarterly earnings at their conference call to investors the following:

• "hardcore" gamers make up the lions share of EA's revenue
• "hardcore" gamers want more DLC and microtransactions in their games
• "hardcore" gamers want games with online gameplay
• EA will focus their efforts on Xbox brand and iPhone, because those where the most money and "hardcore" gamers are these days
• EA said they were going to turn niche games into meet this audience starting with Simcity 2013 which is to make Simcity into a franchise that "hardcore" gamers will play

Over a week ago EA's investors forced a new restructuring plan which is to be underway by June:

• up to 10% of EA's workforce is being laid off by June
• EA is restructuring many of its developers
• EA is going to start axing franchises and games that fail to give decent profits and sales.
• Most games by major developers have to sell ~5 million to make any real profit these days.
• Nearly all of EA's output for the next two years is focused on the titles that are guaranteed to bring in good profits
• EA is withholding more information until May 21st, when they take stage at the Next Xbox unveiling
• EA is in talks with Microsoft to make most of their games exclusive to the next Xbox

EA simply makes more revenue off of Xbox 360 than all the other platforms including PC combined (its in their financial reports)

 

Only two weeks to go to see what the next step of EA's restructuring plan as they try to return to profit.

 

I cannot wait to see what Investors do to EA this year.

  Edited May 7, 2013 by CaptCity  
Removed deleted post quote.

[FourWinds 29]

I think the key idea here is that they actually learned something from their mistake in pushing Sim City online. I bet this was originally meant to be a online only game as well, but was transformed back to single player by the backlash on SC2013, especially since EA saw the market for SC2013 composed of mostly Sims fans. 

 

I have to agree. I'd bet that right now they're busy as hell rethinking and re-coding it away from the online only MMO experience that would have enhanced everybody's Sims 4 game-play. 

[Mxlppxl 2]

 

 

 

I have to agree. I'd bet that right now they're busy as hell rethinking and re-coding it away from the online only MMO experience that would have enhanced everybody's Sims 4 game-play. 

 

^^ WIN