The Sims fans have only just begun their latest adventure, with the release of The Sims 4 last week. There’s a long way to go before the next entry, as the franchise is known for numerous expansions large and small (The Sims 3 had 11 major expansions).

In a now-deleted comment on the official Sims forums, Maxis producer Grant Rodiek has hinted that the success of The Sims 4 will have a significant impact on the where the series goes from here. “We're not thinking about Sims 5. If Sims 4 isn't successful, there won't be a Sims 5,” Rodiek said on the official Sims forum before clarifying. “It's not all or nothing, per se, but something has to pay for 5."

The Sims 4 has been criticized for cutting a number of major features (among them swimming pools and toddlers). In our own review, associate editor Kim Wallace cited the game as a step back.

“The Sims 4 needs to stand on its own. With all of the steps back from the baseline established by The Sims 3, it doesn’t,” she writes. “I feel like I'm playing a game that's half-baked. The core formula is still fun, but The Sims 4 isn't an improvement.”

[Source: The Sims (via Google Cache) via Joystiq, PCGamesN]

Our Take

The problem with a series that grows over time is that publishers and developers sometimes forget that the core game needs to be a whole product. There are a lot of fantastic innovations in The Sims 4, but I expect that franchise faithful are going to be displeased if EA offers to sell back missing features that were in previous entries. Though, if people purchase them, that will likely be all the success EA and Maxis need to see.

This comment isn't hyperbolic or inflammatory, and it's strange that it would be deleted. There is a simple truth to the video game business: success dictates sequel.