It looks like the best-selling people sim is coming back next year. EA is announcing a new The Sims (oh-so-creatively called The Sims 4) is due in 2014. Precious little is known at this point but you can sign up here at their website for email updates. Nothing is for certain but I have a a few guesses about the series’ future.
I assume it’s a PC product like it’s predecessors but that’s the only thing I’m willing to wager on – and even then, I’m not real confident. I personally expect strong social media integration from the start, seeing as how The Sims 3 now has the ability to Tweet and post to Facebook for you. Word is also floating about that the always-on DRM from the latest SimsCity will not make an appearance which alone could be a deal maker for some folks.
As for what I would like to see, I want weather/seasons from the start, a more meaningful calendar (as it is, everyday is the same – no Holidays, new special events), an instant replay feature (so you can relive great moments or capture ones that went by too fast), and the ability to share your neighborhood with someone else online. We’ll see if anything I mentioned here is part of the actual product as more information comes out.
UPDATE: Offline play is confirmed, as is PC (and Mac) as the target platforms.