EA Has Already Managed to Ruin The Sims 4

Last month, Electronic Arts and Maxis issued a statement informing us that when The Sims 4 launches in September this year, swimming pools and toddlers will not be included. Ryan Vaughan, one of the developers over at Maxis, posted a blog that explains that the two features may be introduced later, though nothing is guaranteed. Understandably, this managed to upset and even enrage fans, raising concern that the two exclusions will be saved for a future expansion pack for the game. Vaughan does not imply that will be the case in his blog, but states, "While we recognize that some of you will be disappointed that pools and toddlers won’t be available when The Sims 4 Base Game launches in September, you should know that we’re building an incredibly strong foundation that is capable of fulfilling every one of your desires in the years to come."

Before I get into a complaint, let me first start by addressing how to properly create a sequel: when a new game in a series is released, people expect the title to have better features and new things to explore in comparison to its predecessor. A game's predecessor should serve as a foundation to build upon and even revitalise, removing components that were not critical to the game's success or even appreciated. However, it seems that the fine folk at Electronic Arts believe that back-pedalling and failing to use common sense or logic are the key ingredients to a successful income. I'll touch on their idiocy later. At the same time, no one wants something that already exists in addition to being a popular feature to be removed. Swimming pools - much more so than toddlers - is one of them. Electronic Arts and Maxis decided for some reason to remove these two features and their excuse is, "well we removed them to make way for better things." Sounds like a lot of codswallop to me.

It's well known that some of the more twisted and perhaps mentally unstable players of The Sims didn't use swimming pools in the most appropriate of ways; constructing a house with a backyard without an exit and drowning their Sims, which is indeed awful, but games like The Sims are to be played in any manner the player sees fit. You can't just remove a feature because you don't like how people are using it, if that were the case. That's like removing the toileting and showering animations because people figured out how to remove the censor.

Swimming pools and toddlers weren't exactly integral features within The Sims, but they were loved by everyone who enjoyed the franchise. You're removing features and making your argument that they're being excluded to be able to include better things. Horseradish. We're currently in the year 2014; we're well past the technology cap that required the removal of components to be able to include "better" ones. There is essentially no valid excuse to remove something as simple as an age stage and a recreational activity. Tell me something though; what in God's name makes you think that someone would rather have a rocket ship in their backyard opposed to a swimming pool? The latter seems a bit more realistic and useful, doesn't it?

I'm not too upset about the toddlers feature being removed as I never interacted with many in The Sims 3. However, I find it terribly hilarious and atrocious that my female Sims may give birth to a baby and then in three days suddenly have it transform into a school-age child. I take it that child will have learnt to walk, talk and use the toilet during the animation of it spinning like a possessed swine as it aged, then? Or have they back-pedalled even further to the original Sims where the baby will sit in the crib for days before transforming into a child? I'm curious.

It's appalling. I understand that EA and Maxis are attempting to make The Sims 4 accessible to as many players as possible, without having too many system requirements, but that does not mean that they are to go back in time and release an HD version of the original Sims and pass that off as The Sims 4. The Sims 4's visuals have already taken a hit, appearing less detailed and realistic than The Sims 3, looking almost like a PlayStation 2 game. Isn't that a bit of enough detriment if they're to make exclusions to improve other aspects?

Neither Maxis nor EA confirmed nor denied that toddlers and swimming pools will be included in future, priced expansion packs and I think it's safe to say that we all know that that will be the case. Look back on The Sims 3; the base game had almost nothing that The Sims 2 had accumulated over time and instead, we were presented with what amounts to the same exact expansion packs that The Sims 2 had, with the company basically expecting us to pay for the same crap twice. I'm sorry, but if The Sims 4 launches in September and the first expansion pack is something like The Sims 4: Pets or The Sims 4: Seasons, I'll show my copy the definition of defenestration, sell it and then refuse to give my business to Electronic Arts from that point forward.

For those who are actively concerned with the exclusion of toddlers and swimming pools, there is an active - though most likely ultimately futile - petition on Change.org with over 18,000 signatures to date. Feel free to sign it and maybe Maxis and EA will listen, but I'm sure we'll have a better chance of seeing Jesus Christ riding a unicorn.

Petition: http://www.change.org/en-CA...