While we have been sitting in a 2014 release date for quite some time, what we have been missing with The Sims 4 is actual information about what sets it apart from its three predecessors. During their Gamescom 2013 press conference, Electronic Arts showcased the next major installment of their life simulator that is built on new technology and is what they hope will empower fans to create and control a new generation of Sims.
The Sims 4 brings all new ways to play with life. Built on the foundation of a brand new technology platform, the nuance and delight of being human come together to create more intelligent, more emotionally rich and more relatable Sims. These Sims have evolved into beings whose every action is informed and affected by interactions and emotional states.
Because players are in control of life’s triumphs and failures, life’s moments make stories richer, Sims more relatable and their homes more personal. Pair these revolutionary new Sims with brand new creative tools that are powerful, agile and tactile, and the result is what they hope to be a provocative new gameplay experience that powers a new era for The Sims.
Rachel Franklin | VP and Executive Producer for The Sims 4
Over 10 years ago, we created a genre, now we’re taking our most revolutionary step forward by focusing on the heart of the franchise, the Sims themselves. The magic of The Sims has always come from the combination of the player’s creativity and the Sims’ free will, and in The Sims 4 we’re taking this further by unlocking more possibilities and deeper gameplay opportunities. The Sims 4 is the bold leap for the franchise where each Sim now has a rich emotional center that drives meaningful social interactions. Your ability to affect the mind, body and heart of these new Sims brings your stories to life in a way that is more personal than ever before.
Above is the six and a half minute debut trailer previewed during the conference which showcases many different aspects of the game. These aspects include the new Create-a-Sim where they describe the Sims as being editable like clay, the build mode that has been redesigned to be more approachable to those new to designing (Hopefully not at the expense of the more advanced options from previous games – not everything needs to be square) and new the new emotions and interaction systems for the Sims amongst other things.
It is important to note that unless they have chosen for a UI-less game experience, none of the games user interface is previewed within these trailers or the below screenshots. I’m interested to see if they plan on making public transport such as light rail more commonplace than cars / bikes in this installment.
