Published , by Kevin Tucker
Published , by Kevin Tucker
There wasn't a peep from EA or Maxis about The Sims 5 at E3 2019, leaving many series fans wondering if a sequel is in the works. Given that there's still loads of interest in The Sims 4 — and considering that new content packs for the game are still doling out at a regular pace — there's clearly a market for a new sequel to the hit life simulation title. So where is it?
We can only assume that The Sims 5 was not shown off at E3 2019 (or in this case, Electronic Arts' EA Play live stream) because neither EA nor Maxis have anything to show for the game. In fact, there's no indication that The Sims 5 is in development at all, and if that's the case, of course there'd be nothing to show at E3.
However, it's worth mentioning that development on The Sims 4 still seems to be underway. The team at Maxis hired a new Guru in the form of Michael Duke back in April of this year, brought on as a senior producer for Sims 4. Considering that the game is still getting new content packs, it's probably safe to say that Maxis will want to see The Sims 4 through to the end of its life before announcing another sequel.
Of course, this move frees up previous senior producer Grant Rodiek for new projects. And while Rodiek won't be talking more about The Sims 4 (as per the tweet above), he has notably served as producer on both The Sims 3 and The Sims 4. The fact that his previous position with TS4 has been given to Michael Duke, it's possible that he's now working on the next installment in the Sims series.
Thankfully, there was at least plenty of love for The Sims 4 shown at EA Play. In particular, the developers confirmed the new Island Living expansion, which features loads of Polynesian flair as well as the inclusion of mermaids. If you're hoping to learn more about the latest content landing in TS4, check out the video embed featured above, pulled straight from the EA Play presentation ahead of E3 2019.
The news here is unfortunate but unsurprising: The Sims 5 was not at E3 2019 because there's nothing to show fans just yet. EA and Maxis have not confirmed that the game even exists, despite how much interest the series still holds in the hearts of gamers. Perhaps we'll get to learn more about the studio's plans for future of the series around the time of E3 2020.