The Sims franchise recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with legacy editions of The Sims and The Sims 2, along with new DLCs for The Sims 4. However, the re-releases of The Sims 1 and 2 launched with significant bugs, and some players believe that The Sims 4 doesn’t need more DLC. The game had a rough launch in 2014, receiving criticism for its lack of depth and features. It also deviated from the art style of previous games, angering long-time fans. The absence of customization options, limited hair colors, and a lack of texture and color selection in Build and Buy Modes disappointed players. The game also lacked vehicles, pools, and the toddler life stage, leaving players feeling like the game was hollow compared to previous iterations. The series’ once-vibrant open-world neighborhoods were replaced with flat maps, and pre-made houses had various issues. This disappointment led to the question of why EA removed beloved features, which was answered by the development history of The Sims 4, known as Project Olympus. Originally planned as an online MMO, similar to The Sims Online, the game underwent changes in its development, resulting in the removal of several features. Some speculate that EA’s experience with the troubled launch of SimCity in 2013 influenced these changes. After the rocky launch, The Sims 4 received updates that reintroduced some missing features, but the game still lacked customization options and variety. The abundance of DLC packs caused recurrent bugs, leading to frustration among players. In 2024, free updates and expansions like Lovestruck and Life & Death injected new life into the game, addressing long-term issues and adding depth to Sim interactions. Despite these improvements, EA seems to be focused on developing an online Sims experience with Project Rene, reminiscent of The Sims Online. Some fans are skeptical, especially considering EA’s past struggles with creating an online Sims game. While there are glimpses of hope, such as texture and color customization options, there is concern that the company may have misunderstood what players truly want from the franchise. Many players simply want to be left alone to play with their dolls, highlighting the appeal of the traditional offline Sims experience. After 25 years, it’s clear that the majority of Sims players desire a game where they can set their own pace and tell their own stories, rather than being pushed into a social MMO setting.