Maxis Confirms 'The Sims 4' For 2014 Release

Game Rant

By GR Staff

Published May 6, 2013

Nearly four years after the release of 'The Sims 3', EA and Maxis announce a 2014 follow-up to their intensely popular franchise.

This promotional image depicts several emoted faces, possibly characters' responses to the announcement itself. The logotype also seems to be simplified for The Sims 4.

The Sims 4 Announced — This promotional image depicts several emoted faces, possibly characters' responses to the announcement itself. The logotype also seems to be simplified for The Sims 4.

Like it or not, the Maxis-developed, EA-produced The Sims series has cemented itself as an important part of casual gaming history. After a decade of game releases, a mind-numbing number of expansions, and various smartphone and social media spin-offs, the series has set itself apart from the SimCity franchise on which it is based. The Sims 3 currently has nine expansion packs, with the tenth, Island Paradise to be released later next month. With this level of success, it comes as no surprise that Maxis and EA want to keep the good times rolling.

Earlier today, Maxis officially announced a followup title, The Sims 4, slated for PC and Mac release sometime in 2014. Little is known about the upcoming installment of the popular simulation series, and with the rocky start the recent SimCity reboot had, it's understandable that fans might be more than a little worried. Fortunately, EA has confirmed that The Sims 4 will be fully functional offline, hinting that the major developer has learned a valuable lesson in recent months.

Whispers of this new title began several weeks ago, when alleged user interface screenshots were leaked onto the internet. More recently, it was discovered that EA had registered TheSims4.com, which all but let the cat out of the bag that something big was in the works.

The Sims is one of the most revolutionary titles in PC gaming history, with the franchise selling more than 150 million copies since its humble beginning in early 2000. While it may be too early to tell what the future holds for the latest title in the series, fans can at least breath a sigh of relief knowing they won't have to suffer the same always-online issues that SimCity faced at launch. Ranters: are you ready for another Sims game, or are you still trying to catch up with the plethora of material released for The Sims 3?

The Sims 4 has been recently announced for a 2014 release on Windows PC and Mac. The Sims 3 released its ninth expansion, University Life in March, and a tenth expansion is set to release June 25th, titled Island Paradise.

Follow me on Twitter @superkyol.

Source: The Sims Hub