The Sims 5is reportedly in development, and fans are hoping that a few key features missing in the previous title will make it back to the main game.The Simsseries has always been a life simulation game, and with this comes certain expectations of what should and should not be included in any of its titles. One of the biggest criticisms ofThe Sims 4was the segmented world that was a step in the wrong direction, following the praise thatThe Sims 3received for its world. Now, fans are hoping thatThe Sims 5will return to the full open-world formula of previous games and give players the ability to explore their world freely.
Out of all the things thatThe Sims 4got wrong, not having an open world is the one feature that led to a large amount of backlash. While other missing features such as vehicles were later added in, the open-world is one of those that could not simply be patched or updated, and as a result, madeThe Sims 4one of the most disappointing titles in the seriesfor many fans. Now Maxis and EA have a chance to redeem themselves by adding an open-world element toThe Sims 5, giving fans tons to explore and bringing the world to life.
RELATED:A New Sims Game is Long Overdue
Why An Open World is Important For A Sims Game
As a life simulator,The Simsneeds to give its players the freedom to make any choice, whether that is to make their sim into a rockstar or delete the ladder for a pool and watch the sim freak out. However, this level of freedom takes a severe hit when players need to continuously wait through loading screens to simply leave their house.A seamless open world would not only improve immersionbut can also increase the number of activities available to players and give them the ability to wander and meet other Sims in the world organically.
The Sims 3excelled at giving players an open world filled with activities, and through expansion packs, these activities grew in number. An open world also lets players allow their Sims to perform more activities like driving around town, visiting their neighbors, and finding certain collectibles. It will also open the possibilities for hobbies such as gardening and collecting,both of which were done very well inThe Sims 3. ForThe Sims 5to be a success, it will need to include this open-world feature to give players more freedom and give them more things to do in the game.
Open-World in The Sims 5
The Sims 4’slackluster open world left a lot to be desired.The Sims 5now could correct this misstepand can give players an open world that has never been seen in the series before in terms of both content and size. Including a bigger open world would automatically require a lot more content to be added, but it can show a true transition between different areas of a town or city, from skyscrapers to the suburbs.
Generally, each new addition to a series needs to improve on past titles to show fans that the game is getting the attention it deserves.Expanding the open world ofThe Simsin the next title would be a great way to introduce a more seamless experience and expand the classic formula of towns and maybe introduce a better travel or vacation system.
An open world is an integral part of any life simulator as it adds to the realism and gives players a tremendous amount of immersion. Following the release ofThe Sims 4, it is easy to see why segmented open-worlds lack that level of immersion, and this hopefully encourages Maxis and EA to makeThe Sims 5an open-world experience likeThe Sims 3was. While there are a fewother features that should also be included inThe Sims 5, an open world for Sims to explore and enjoy is much needed and is what many fans are hoping for.
The Sims 5is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
