The latest game in the life simulation video game franchise, "The Sims 4," was released just a few years ago and despite the normal 5-year interval between new installments, fans are now looking forward to the next game in the series, "The Sims 5."
It might be a little bit too early to speculate about what the newest game would be offering, but that hasn't stopped reports from popping up that try to predict the sequel's possible features and gameplay.
"The Sims 4" — the current game in the franchise — was unfortunately met with much controversy and mixed reviews which were caused by the removal of some of the game's core features. Some gamers were unhappy with how the game's developer Maxis and its publisher Electronic Arts were handling the release of the game.
Some gamers accused the companies of trying to get more money out of players through the addition of paid post-release downloadable content (DLC) expansions which contains content that should have already been included in the original release in the first place.
Other reports were then quick to speculate that the mixed reception for the current game might be a reason to fast track the release of the new installment. If the company were to follow their standard 5-year interval, "The Sims 5" is likely to have a 2019 release, but following the entire DLC debacle, it might be possible that they would consider releasing the next game earlier than usual.
As for the expected features of the highly anticipated sequel, some reports have predicted that there could be a virtual reality element added to the game. This would certainly make the game more immersive as players would no longer just be controlling their avatar: they could become them and see and hear what their avatars are seeing and hearing within the game's virtual world.
The gaming industry is, after all, in a steady move towards virtual reality, but it still remains to be seen if it would be integrated into the upcoming new simulation game when it comes out.
