Throughout the entirety ofThe Simsfranchise, players have been creating new Sims, giving them families, and creating generational legacies. While family-oriented gameplay is arguably the most popular play style forThe Sims 4,there could be more immersive features. WhileThe Sims 4: Parenthoodexpanded the mechanics involved with growing up, the nextSims 4expansionpack could provide gameplay in the form of family reunions - even asThe Sims 5is in development.
The Simsdevelopment team recentlyteased its 2023 roadmap forThe Sims 4,alluding to the theme of family reunions, trees, relatives, and young Sims. While fans might have to wait for theSims 4Community Stream on January 31 to find out exactly what is in store, it could be surmised that the next expansion pack is going to expand family-oriented gameplay and possibly add another life stage. If the upcoming expansion pack is based on family reunions, there are a ton of possible elements that would be great additions to the game.
RELATED:The Sims 4 Gets Underwear and Bathroom Clutter DLC
How a Family Reunion Expansion Pack Could Impact The Sims 4
Legacy play styles are popular when it comes toThe Simsfranchise because they allow Simmers to build big families with complex narratives. ManySimscontent creators have created multigenerational family units, but there is little that capitalizes on and expands that kind of play. A family reunion pack could create special moments between generations of Sims, akin toThe Sims 3: Generationsexpansion packthat remains one of the most popular across the franchise. The pack could add new familial roles like step-uncle, godmother, and more, giving elder Sims more prominence.
Special interactions between elder and younger Sims could include sharing memories, handing down clothes and goods, cooking together, putting together scrapbooks, or even having younger Sims help elder Sims learn something new -like theSims 4influencer careerpath. Electronic Arts could find inspiration in the special real-life moments that families have together, including a family show-and-tell or camping trip, and visiting loved ones who are longer alive. The advent of ghosts inThe Sims 4could allow relatives to visit from beyond the grave as well.
Drama Should Play a Big Part in The Sims 4’s Family Reunion Pack
When it comes to theSimsfranchise, each expansion pack has to allow for madness, chaos, and drama within family units. WithThe Sims 4: High School Yearsexpansion pack, there are a lot of family-based mechanics that could reflect real life. For example, a potentialSimsfamily reunion might involve warring sides of the family, or divorced parents with twins - perhaps riffing on the iconic filmThe Parent Trap.Also,Sims could have new personality traits ranging from the need to impress or avoid their families, perfectionistic Sims, gossipy Sims, or teen Sims who are annoyed that they have to sit at the kids' table.
There are rumors that infants will be included in an upcomingSims 4update alongside the new expansion pack. Asbabies are notoriously blank-slate in theSimsfranchise, the infant life stage would open up new possibilities for childcare. The family reunion pack could include options for babysitting, sleepovers at other family homes, arguments between parents and grandparents over how an infant should be cared for, and more. Hopefully, the new expansion pack will add an essence of real-world messiness that comes with families, building upon the life simulation that fans love.
The Sims 4is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
MORE:Sims 4 Glitches That Should Be Turned Into Sims 5 Mechanics
