On April 11th Electronic Arts released its Quarter 2 “road map” detailing the upcoming “Take Me Home” collection of DLC. According to the official artwork, Simmers can expect to receive “four new and unique kits + hot update” between April and June of 2023. Though the next Sims game (dubbed Project Rene) is already in development, executive producer Phil Ring confirmed in October that more content for The Sims 4 is still to come. Fans are speculating that the Take Me Home kit collection may address what many see as flaws in The Sims 4 and oversights in the content of recent family-focused game packs. But while EA sells finishing touches for The Sims 4, competing life simulators advertise themselves as sleek and hyperrealistic as they attempt to capture a market long dominated by The Sims franchise.
The artwork released by EA to promote the upcoming Sims 4 kits features a pile of moving boxes with cryptic symbols and labels, as well as some clutter like gardening supplies, books, and a hoodie. In the past, images and game icons have given Simmers hints as to the content of upcoming DLCs.
For many Simmers, the excitement is tempered by disappointment. Since “Stuff Packs” were discontinued in 2021, kits have replaced them as way to distribute non-gameplay assets and add depth to the game. For fans willing to pay, recent kits like Bathroom Clutter, Everyday Clutter, and Blooming Rooms add essential touches of realism. However, kits are miniature by design, and some Simmers argue that the small selection of assets they offer should be added to the base game, rather than asking Simmers to pay for what some players view as critical updates. As reported by GamesRadar, when kits were first announced, “the Sims subreddit was littered with jokes about how EA continues to add more paid DLC in lieu of updating the base game with frequently requested items.”
With four new kits on the horizon, an expansion pack ahead, and Project Rene in development, Simmers face an avalanche of new content. EA is also raising prices with special subscriber-only features on EA Play, as well as releasing frequent “Laundry Lists” of years-old game bugs they are currently fixing. Options for life simulation players are expanding though, as games like Life By You and Paralives enter the market. While competitors of The Sims franchise may lack its lore and whimsy, they also make point of boasting basic functionality that The Sims has lacked for so long. Yet, it appears that the Project Rene production team is content with the status quo, as per the Behind the Sims Summit, plans for the next game are focused on developing “building and decorating in-game” rather than on fundamental issues with the current game.