The Sims 5 is reportedly in development, and fans are hoping that a few key features missing in the previous title will make it back to the main game. The Sims series has always been a life simulation game, and with this comes certain expectations of what should and should not be included in any of its titles. One of the biggest criticisms of The Sims 4 was the segmented world that was a step in the wrong direction, following the praise that The Sims 3 received for its world. Now, fans are hoping that The Sims 5 will return to the full open-world formula of previous games and give players the ability to explore their world freely.

Out of all the things that The Sims 4 got wrong, not having an open world is the one feature that led to a large amount of backlash. While other missing features such as vehicles were later added in, the open-world is one of those that could not simply be patched or updated, and as a result, made The Sims 4 one of the most disappointing titles in the series for many fans. Now Maxis and EA have a chance to redeem themselves by adding an open-world element to The Sims 5, giving fans tons to explore and bringing the world to life.

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Why An Open World is Important For A Sims Game

The Sims 3 World Renowned Surgeon

As a life simulator, The Sims needs to give its players the freedom to make any choice, whether that is to make their sim into a rockstar or delete the ladder for a pool and watch the sim freak out. However, this level of freedom takes a severe hit when players need to continuously wait through loading screens to simply leave their house. A seamless open world would not only improve immersion but can also increase the number of activities available to players and give them the ability to wander and meet other Sims in the world organically.

The Sims 3 excelled at giving players an open world filled with activities, and through expansion packs, these activities grew in number. An open world also lets players allow their Sims to perform more activities like driving around town, visiting their neighbors, and finding certain collectibles. It will also open the possibilities for hobbies such as gardening and collecting, both of which were done very well in The Sims 3. For The Sims 5 to be a success, it will need to include this open-world feature to give players more freedom and give them more things to do in the game.

Open-World in The Sims 5

the sims 4 key art

The Sims 4’s lackluster open world left a lot to be desired. The Sims 5 now could correct this misstep and can give players an open world that has never been seen in the series before in terms of both content and size. Including a bigger open world would automatically require a lot more content to be added, but it can show a true transition between different areas of a town or city, from skyscrapers to the suburbs.

Generally, each new addition to a series needs to improve on past titles to show fans that the game is getting the attention it deserves. Expanding the open world of The Sims in the next title would be a great way to introduce a more seamless experience and expand the classic formula of towns and maybe introduce a better travel or vacation system.

An open world is an integral part of any life simulator as it adds to the realism and gives players a tremendous amount of immersion. Following the release of The Sims 4, it is easy to see why segmented open-worlds lack that level of immersion, and this hopefully encourages Maxis and EA to make The Sims 5 an open-world experience like The Sims 3 was. While there are a few other features that should also be included in The Sims 5, an open world for Sims to explore and enjoy is much needed and is what many fans are hoping for.

The Sims 5 is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

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