The first article, The Sims 3 targets ‘real’ gamers discusses on how The Sims 3 will branch away from it’s simulation past and adds in more “gamer-ness” with more challenges and depth for gamers. Is this such a smart move to take away the core audience of the game? I know quite a few people who play the Sims on the fact that it isn’t a hardcore game and that they enjoy the simplicity of what the game has to offer. If this is taken away, would those same folks move up the ladder with the next revision or go on to find a substitute?
The second article is called Franchise Focus. It basically consists of most of the rest of the previews that were released, but it ties in with the first article above.
With Will Wright having stepped back from The Sims to concentrate on Spore, it’s clear that Rod Humble’s MMO past has encouraged him to move The Sims away from its simulation background towards a gameplay experience which will appeal more to existing gamers – while The Sims 3’s increased sophistication and depth will excite current fans who would not otherwise characterise themselves as gamers. The Sims is continuing its inexorable march towards becoming the games industry’s biggest ever franchise.
Much like The Sims 2, hopefully lots of aspects of The Sims 3 can simply be overlooked by players who aren’t interested in them. Eg, influence is something in The Sims 2 that I completely ignore. It is there to be used, but I don’t have to use it. Hopefully The Sims 3 will be the same, so it doesn’t alienate the players who enjoy The Sims 2.
I also find it interesting that eight years after the original Sims came out, there is still no competition to the game. No other ‘The Sims’ type game out there (I don’t consider ‘Singles’ to be ‘The Sims’. Way too focused on adult relationships, no kids, etc.).