Blaugust Day 9 — Monetizing Sims 4
This is part of the Blaugust series!
Though this post came hot on the heels of the newly announced expansion pack, Sims 4: Get Together, it’s actually been on my mind for a while. I’ve been a Simmer since the original Sims 1 hit the shelf back in 2000. I’ve been a pretty loyal Simmer, too.
I own every Sim game and every major expansion for each Sim game, most of them bought on release day. I remember back when the Sims website would give away a fun little downloadable game item for free once a week – was it every Tuesday? This included everything from decor to that awful little guinea pig that could bite your Sim and cause them to die.
But, then things started to change, especially when Sims 3 started throwing their online store in our face. It got as far as them actually patching store items into your inventory, which I found as distasteful as any MMO cash shop move I’ve ever seen.
The Sims 4 hasn’t slapped us with a cash shop yet. However, they are pumping out stuff packs and game packs like there’s no tomorrow. Seriously, like once a month, we’re seeing either a stuff pack or game pack. And while I can generally ignore stuff packs (as I always did in Sims 3), it’s hard when normally expected game items, like a hot tub, are locked behind a $10 tag.
Now, that’s not to say that Sims 4 hasn’t given us a lot of stuff for free in patches since the release. I acknowledge that and appreciate it. Ghosts, pool, outfits, and just this past week, dishwashers. Finally dishwashers.
So why were hot tubs locked behind a stuff pack and dishwashers in a free patch for everyone? Maybe there would be a much larger uproar about dishwashers being behind a paywall when they’ve always been a part of the normal game. In fact, I noticed quite early on they were missing and wondered why.
I’m ambivalent about how Sims 4 is approaching DLC. On one hand, I can’t complain too much because free stuff! On the other hand, man, they are releasing this content fast and furious.
You could argue they’re providing content on the basis it’s something you are interested in picking up, so you don’t have to buy it all. And I agree, I’ve only purchased one game pack out of the four (going on five) packs they’ve released. Well, plus the first expansion. So the upcoming expansion will make the second expansion for the game this year.
At $39 for each expansion, $10 for stuff packs, and $20 for game packs, this is not a cheap game series to follow.
Man. That’s a lot of DLC in such a short time. I just don’t know.