89 Things Missing In The Sims 4

Avatar photoBy Kevin He

No, this isn’t sensationalist news or a desperate attempt to make clicks happen or a blatant rumour from an ‘unnamed source’, this is a legitimate list of MISSING features for the next installment of The Sims. MISSING as in: were present in previous games and now are missing.

In related news, EA has announced that they will NOT be giving out review copies of The Sims 4, which means reviews for the game will not be out until a good few days after release. I exercise strong caution when picking up this game, as nothing here bodes well.

Thanks to ts4news.com for the list:

Thank you to Bflury on TS3 Forums for organizing this list! I fixed a lot of spelling/grammar/writing issues for you guys…enjoy!

Everything below has been 100% confirmed, excluding the final category.

This is a list of features that were COMPLETELY CUT or REDUCED from previous iterations of The Sims. It DOES NOT include missing expansion pack content that should be base by now (i.e. Weather) or new features promised for Sims 4 that were later cut (i.e. Woohoo Skill).

Lastly, it is important to understand that much of this content will NEVER be in The Sims 4. Things like Create a Style are not compatible with the game engine, and thus cannot be added in future updates or expansions.

MAJOR MISSING FEATURES THAT WERE IN TS3:

  • No create a style (CAST) – NOT possible in future expansions (x)
  • No modifications to world/public spaces – The park in the demo is a mix of a community lot and public space (x1) (x2)
  • No “normal” careers – Law enforcement, Medical, Business, etc. were removed (x)
  • No open world – You must incur a loading screen between each active lot; each neighborhood has 1-5 lots total (x1) (x2)
  • No pools (x)
  • No terrain tools other than paint; everything is perfectly flat (x)
  • No story progression – Sims in the neighborhood age, but do not have children, get jobs, move, get married…etc. without player intervention (x)
  • No toddlers (x)
  • No way to create/place new lots – And you only have 2 empty ones at the start of the game!
  • No Mac version of the game at release

MAJOR CRIPPLED/LIMITED FEATURES THAT WERE IN TS3:

  • All buildings on a lot must have the same foundation. No mixing for sheds, garages, etc. (x)
  • Babies are mere objects – All interactions are through basinet. There are no baby objects. Babies can only be lifted directly above basinet. (x)
  • Backgrounds are illusions – The buildings in the background are not playable in the game. (x)
  • Completely FLAT lots – The entire build-able world is completely flat (x)
  • Fewer floors/levels, limited to three (x1) (x2)
  • SIGNIFICANTLY smaller “worlds” of <25 lots compared to 125+ lots in TS3 (x)
  • Smaller lots – Lots are limited to 50×50 instead of 64×64. (x)
  • Loading screens for individual lots (x)
  • The map is a one-dimensional picture (x)
  • Teens are same height as adults and they, along with elders, all look nearly identical. (x)

OTHER MISSING GAMEPLAY ELEMENTS FROM TS1-TS3:

MISSING OBJECTS FROM TS1, TS2 OR TS3 BASE GAMES:

MISC CRIPPLED GAME FEATURES:

  • 32-bit executable – TS4 is not 64-bit, and cannot access more than 4GB of RAM. If you have more than 4GB then you are crippled.
  • Fewer traits in CAS (more traits must be unlocked/earned in-game)
  • Incompatible Simpoint currency – Sims 3 Store Simpoints do not work with TS4

LIKELY TRUE YET STILL UNCONFIRMED: 

  • No cashiers
  • No Create a World
  • No exterminator
  • No swings
  • Premium Membership is REQUIRED to get certain sets on release day or at all
  • No inheritance
  • No interests
  • No magazines
  • No pinball machines
  • No way to water flower beds/bushes
  • No family trees