2023 is set to be a big year forThe Simsfranchise. New content is being released for The Sims 4, andThe Sims 5- aka “Project Rene” - is also in development. While some Simmers are ready to move into a new era forThe Sims,the upcoming base game will come with significant changes, including multiplayer, cross-platform gameplay, and an emphasis on social connection. SinceThe Sims 4is on par withThe Elder Scrolls: Skyrimfor being a “decade” game, it makes sense forSimspublisher Electronic Arts to take some big swings withThe Sims 5 -including a possibleSims Online-inspired multiplayer mode.
ManySimsplayers may be unaware that the franchise has had a multiplayer game.The Sims Online- also known as “EA-land”- was an MMORPG and social simulator released in 2002. With the immense popularity of the firstSimsgame and the rise of the MMORPG genre with old-schoolRuneScapeandEverquest,Electronic Arts wanted to get the best of both worlds. Unfortunately,The Sims Onlinewas short-lived, as a lack of consistent players culminated in the game shutting down in 2008. Still,The Sims Onlinedeserves a complete remake instead of being the multiplayer model forThe Sims 5.
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Many gamers are familiar withmodern social simulators likeSecond LifeandAnimal Crossing,without knowing thatThe Sims Onlinepredates them both. The firstSimsgame introduced the iconic life simulator mechanics that are well-loved today, including the creation of Sims, relationship mechanics, lot customization, career paths, and more. Remarkably,The Sims Onlinewas able to emulate quite a bit of theSimsexperience while also creating a space for real-life players to interact. The MMORPG certainly had its drawbacks, but it set a precedent for the potential of large-scale social simulators.
WhenThe Simswas released,modders began creating customSimscontentfor the game and may have expectedThe Sims Onlineto allow for the same freedoms. Electronic Arts was focused on monetizing the game, so players were constrained to using only the official content that could be purchased in-game. This was a major upset, especially for players who were paying a monthly fee. Another issue that arose was the lack of compelling gameplay, as the technological limitations of the time severely constrained what players could do inThe Sims Online.For instance, there were few career options, causing players to scam other players to make money, crushing the in-game economy within days of release.
The Sims: Online Could Be The Next Hit MMORPG If It Combined Modern Tech With Sims Mechanics
While there are more social simulation games on the market than in the early 2000s, the enduring popularity ofThe Simsfranchise more than justifies a reboot ofThe Sims Online. Modern gaming technology has revolutionized how players interact, fromreal-time concerts inSky: Children of the Lightto world boss battles inThe Elder Scrolls Online. The Sims Onlinecould use this tech to vastly expand the capabilities and potential of the earlier released MMORPG.The Sims 4has added quite a bit of new content to the franchise that the MMORPG could adopt, allowing foraremake ofThe Sims Onlineto focus solely on the multiplayer experience.
One game element thatThe Sims Onlinearguably did well is the advent of multiple neighborhoods where players could live. Each area had different terrain, with Alphaville being the most prominent residential district and communities like Dragon’s Cove offering a higher degree of difficulty. A remake ofThe Sims Onlinecould return to this neighborhood structure and in-game economy while adding more robust functionality to ensure they’re not easily exploited. A reboot could alsoadd more sophisticatedSimsgameplay, including more careers, individual lots for households, pets, and, most importantly, custom content.
The Sims 5is in development.
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