There’s always a lot of rumours floating around when it comes to The Sims. Which is why we often take a look at them, because there’s often a kernel of truth amidst the speculation.
But with news of a potential Sims 4 Remaster being picked up by multiple outlets after being leaked by user Lunar_Britney on Twitter, it seemed only fitting we dig in and find out what all the fuss is about.
Sims 4 remaster: The essentials
While this may be billed as a remaster, the actual overhaul seems to be more about making this version of The Sims 4 the new standard. The additions consist of a graphical overhaul and the integration of mechanics from both the Seasons and Growing Together expansions, as well as seamless travel between lots.
Mainly, the idea that The Sims 4 would be reinvented to make up for the lack of The Sims 5. The first major step in that direction was, of course, making the base game free. So a graphical (and more than likely performance) upgrade makes sense, while integrating key mechanics tied to expansions offers an enticing buy-in for sceptical players.
My guess is that, if this turns out to be true, we can expect this remaster to supplement the current incarnation of The Sims 4. And while I don’t think it’ll end up as a ‘Sims Forever’ type situation where it ends up as a perpetual incarnation of the series in a single entry, I’ve no doubt this is intended to expand the lifespan of The Sims 4 massively.
Potential problems
Of course it wouldn’t be EA if there weren’t any potential problems. And according to Lunar_Britney the issue here is that ‘their deadline for it is insane in comparison to previous games.’
It’d be odd if that’s the case, unless EA felt there was real pressure to keep The Sims 4 evergreen. While The Sims Labs: Life with Friends has had a lukewarm reception, even a few days is perhaps too short for the corporate machine to hit the panic button.
Not only that, but the implication is also that The Sims 4 Remastered will actually be sold, as in not free like the base game. Which if so would probably be a marketing misstep right off a cliff, considering how long fans have been waiting for a revamp or sequel.
Either way the bottom line is that The Sims 4 Remastered isn’t just feasible, but fairly likely. However, as with all of this sort of news until we get an official confirmation it’s all up in the air. And hopefully in its end state it’ll be a little more consumer-friendly.
A lifelong Maxis fan who grew up with SimCity 3000 and the lesser-known DS titles in the Sims catalogue, Iwan brings the obscure knowledge of things that have been and will be when it comes to The Sims.
