Home Gaming The Sims 4 has no toddlers or pools at launch

The Sims 4 has no toddlers or pools at launch

2 min read
78

Sims pool

Trust the gaming community to pick up on the issues rather than the benefits. In a recent developer blog, we get a full rundown on a bunch of cool features to be present in The Sims 4, but it’s the bits that are missing that are causing the internet to explode.

Over on The Sims website, there’s a new blog about some features that players can look forward to in the latest entry in the franchise. One of them which wasn’t discussed much before was neighborhoods – Sims can now live in one world’s neighborhood, but work or socialize in another. But this wasn’t the announcement that caused the stir – here is the quote that cause Sims fans to revolt:

And while we recognize that some of you will be disappointed that pools and toddlers won’t be available when The Sims 4 Base Game launches in September, you should know that we’re building an incredibly strong foundation that is capable of fulfilling every one of your desires in the years to come.

It seems that toddlers have actually been cut from the developmental process of the game; earlier on in the post when describing the ability to use genetics in creating Sims, it says:

We’re particularly proud of our new Genetics system, where you can create relatives from any other Sim. It’s like a game in itself! As for ages, we have babies, children, teens, young adults, adults and elders.

Alright, so presumably they have cut the developmental stage so that babies turn into children without any middle stages. However, if the risk of having a crawling infant fall into the pool is gone, why have pools disappeared? What happened?

You know how people who like The Sims are usually described as “casual gamers”? Well, they certainly aren’t casual about their love of this game, and their outrage of the lack of swimming capabilities in their own backyard. Check out this Reddit thread filled with “how can I murder my Sim now” and “you’ve removed my favorite part of design” comments.

Of course, the truly worrying part is that it says pools won’t be available in September, implying that it may be available later on. Could this be the first expansion? Pool parties and maybe a full outdoor braai BBQ expansion? It does seem a bit odd when so many people enjoyed having pools in their houses, why remove it at launch unless it’s part of a grand scheme to add it in later. Perhaps it will be added for free, but I have a sinking feeling that this will be the start of The Sims 4 expansions.

Last Updated: June 27, 2014

78 Comments

  1. oVg FX

    June 27, 2014 at 11:36

    That will be DLC.

    Reply

  2. Hammersteyn

    June 27, 2014 at 11:37

    First DLC pool
    Second DLC water for pool
    Third DLC ladder for pool so that the sims can get out of the pool(those that didn’t drown.)

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Cyber Commando

      June 27, 2014 at 11:38

      XDXDXDXDXD

      Reply

    • HvR - Still dislikes Random.or

      June 27, 2014 at 11:40

      Fourth DLC forearms strength and AI to get out of the pool at any place.

      Reply

    • Rince&Shitity

      June 27, 2014 at 11:50

      4th gates around the pools? 0-O

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        June 27, 2014 at 11:52

        Five, gates around neighborhood. What? No gated communities? Racist you say? I see. Thank you government

        Reply

    • oVg FX

      June 27, 2014 at 11:56

      Why not, they made more money from DLC in the last Sim Games. The gamers love it.

      Reply

  3. Hammersteyn

    June 27, 2014 at 11:37

    “Can’t drop the kids at the pool” LOL!

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Cyber Commando

      June 27, 2014 at 11:38

      plop plop plop

      Reply

      • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

        June 27, 2014 at 12:01

        SIES!

        Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        June 27, 2014 at 12:28

        Shitty comment this… XD

        Reply

    • Rince&Shitity

      June 27, 2014 at 11:50

      Well you can, but I believe the noise-inducing headache only lasts as long a they are able to tread water 0-O

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        June 27, 2014 at 11:51

        Dropping the kids at the pool can mean taking a dump as well.

        Reply

  4. Jonah Cash

    June 27, 2014 at 11:43

    It is sad that Sims is still a thing let alone that people are moaning that they can’t have a pool in their online game?????? My stupidity meter is running off the charts!!!

    Reply

    • Rince&Shitity

      June 27, 2014 at 11:48

      shouldn’t sims be after tard?

      Reply

      • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

        June 27, 2014 at 12:01

        Nah. Sims is off the charts….

        Reply

        • Dutch Matrix

          June 27, 2014 at 12:13

          Off the charts awesome. There. Fixed it for you.

          Reply

          • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

            June 27, 2014 at 12:20

            Off the charts, awesome. You forgot the comma

          • Dutch Matrix

            June 27, 2014 at 12:25

            I think you are huffing your own batminion farts for too long now. 😛

          • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

            June 27, 2014 at 12:32

            They are pretty vile hey. I actually had to evacuate the living room the other night.

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        June 27, 2014 at 12:11

        Of course not, the sims rock! haha GEDDIT! ROCK SIM! fine.

        Reply

        • Rince&Shitity

          June 27, 2014 at 12:14

          0-O

          Reply

    • Dutch Matrix

      June 27, 2014 at 11:49

      Oh, I am ever so sorry that their are people out there that disagree with your apparent superior taste in games. Now where the fuck is the sarcasm font when you need it?

      Reply

      • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

        June 27, 2014 at 12:03

        Disqus doesn’t support comic sans I think….

        Reply

        • Dutch Matrix

          June 27, 2014 at 12:09

          LoL. Sorry. Sigh… I just hate it when people knock the Sims for no valid reason…

          Reply

          • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

            June 27, 2014 at 12:10

            SIMS sucks balls and shouldn’t exist!

            *runs*

          • Dutch Matrix

            June 27, 2014 at 12:13

            You can run, Batminion! But you cannot hide! And when I find you, I gonna put you in da coolah!!!!

          • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

            June 27, 2014 at 12:19

            Batminion will break your legs and dump you in your silly little sim pool with no ladder… Oh wait… They removed the pools! Hahahahahahaahaha!

          • Dutch Matrix

            June 27, 2014 at 12:23

            But.. but they added Risqué paintings! So my Sim is going to sport a Boner in the art gallery!

          • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

            June 27, 2014 at 12:39

            That image has just disturbed me far more than it had any right to do 🙁

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          June 27, 2014 at 12:11

          lol

          Reply

      • Jonah Cash

        June 27, 2014 at 12:24

        I am so sorry that I touched you in YOUR special place!!! Sims is awesome, and definitely a great series which I hope is around till I die!!!! Oh and maybe they can add a digital Tamagotchi for Sims…. Sims inception…..

        Reply

  5. Labey-Kun

    June 27, 2014 at 11:46

    I know the Sims has always had ridiculous amount of Expansion packs some were not needed, but seriously how does 1 not include a pool because I love my pools since the very first Sims 1 game unless they have something in store for us that will miraculously blow our minds away!

    Reply

  6. Sk3tz0

    June 27, 2014 at 11:47

    What no Swimming pools.. how will i kill off my 3rd wife when im busy shaggin future wife number 4.. bahhum bug..

    Reply

  7. Dutch Matrix

    June 27, 2014 at 11:47

    You know, I cannot rightly be upset with them for removing pools. Toddlers is great. In between major releases (Sims to Sims 2 to Sims 3) they have altered the balance of the game by omitting certain elements, and in most cases, it worked a charm.
    BUT, what really gets me is that they are not removing pools because of wanting to make a better game. They are removing pools to set me up to buy the next DLC pack. Which as a Sims player, is kind of par for the Sims course. And I do not mind, to be honest. With certain DLC’s (or expansion packs if you will) you do get stuff that make the game more interesting and fun to play. And having periodical enhancements to a game you love is never a bad thing, is it?
    But pools? Part of DLC? Now that is kind of telling me that EA is already eyeballing my wallet more than they are interested in giving me a cool new game to play…

    Reply

  8. Rince&Shitity

    June 27, 2014 at 11:49

    This is exactly what the gaming industry has turned into. A bunch of whining, spoilt brats.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      June 27, 2014 at 11:50

      Exactly, don’t like it? Don’t buy it. Easy.

      Reply

    • Labey-Kun

      June 27, 2014 at 11:56

      Not Whining, it’s just disappointing frustration that features got cut from the full game that has been available in the previous games, maybe you don’t fancy pools and kids, but some of us do enjoy those features in the game.

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        June 27, 2014 at 11:59

        Stick with Sims 3 for now, still life left in the old girl I bet. Vote with your wallet. Buy when it’s cheaper

        Reply

        • Labey-Kun

          June 27, 2014 at 12:03

          Haha yeah, I guess I will still keep the Sims 3 steam train rolling.

          Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        June 27, 2014 at 12:11

        I for one is glad that the toddler phase is gone. Raising a kid or two was just too laborious (no bad pun intended) to be fun. I think baby to child is a good thing. But no pools? I draw the line there.

        Reply

    • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

      June 27, 2014 at 11:59

      I think it’s more fear.

      Fear that they will have to pay for pools as DLC, which is exactly where this is heading. I don’t play Sims so it doesn’t affect me, but I do sympathise with Sims players because we all know what it’s like to get half a game.

      Skipping the baby – child step is something one can overlook. It’s not removing anything from the game in regards to what came before.

      But removing pools is a design thing that has been in Sims pretty much from the beginning and makes 0 sense to actually remove them. That’s why people are upset and I understand why and will agree that it’s a dumb, dumb idea to remove it.

      Reply

      • Rince&Shitity

        June 27, 2014 at 12:06

        Then don’t buy it? Moan with your wallet I say!

        Reply

        • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

          June 27, 2014 at 12:09

          Well, I don’t buy Sims. Point. But yeah, that’s exactly what I do. I only buy GOTYE games now or games on special. I refuse to purchase half games on launch day because I know I am going to miss out on all the cut content that they are going to release as DLC

          Reply

          • Rince&Shitity

            June 27, 2014 at 12:12

            Agreed. ESPECIALLY when they come out and say it like this.

          • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

            June 27, 2014 at 12:53

            Yeah. The fact that they so blatently bend over their consumers is terribad

          • Zack Grutza

            June 28, 2014 at 00:55

            so if you dont buy/play sims wtf are you on this page? lol

          • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

            June 28, 2014 at 23:26

            Commenting on the shoddy practice of cutting content just for the sake of adding it as dlc. This terrible practice affects all gamers regardless of platform or genre choice. But I’m sure you picked up on that when reading my comments

    • oVg FX

      June 27, 2014 at 12:03

      locked in a doorless room where they slowly wither and die.
      Thats about all I did in a SIMs game.

      Reply

    • Johan du Preez

      June 27, 2014 at 14:03

      So you are saying you are fine with the inevitable Pool DLC or Pool Party Expansion ? People like you is exactly what’s wrong with the industry if you don’t get why they are complaining.

      Reply

  9. oVg FX

    June 27, 2014 at 11:57

  10. Alien Emperor Trevor

    June 27, 2014 at 12:09

    lulz. upset they can’t play in the kiddie pool.

    Reply

  11. Sk3tz0

    June 27, 2014 at 12:12

    If they raging about no pools Imagine the Rage when EA decide to Scrap the Starving/killing and being an all out psycho to ur sims.

    Reply

    • Rince&Shitity

      June 27, 2014 at 12:13

      But, then what would be the point of playing?

      Reply

      • Sk3tz0

        June 27, 2014 at 12:14

        Wats the point if u cant make babies, ignore them till they get shipped off to military school..

        Reply

        • Rince&Shitity

          June 27, 2014 at 12:17

          Lulz. I think the point here is you can make babies, you just don’t get to see them going through possibly the worst period of a child’s life, being a terrible toddler.

          Reply

  12. Sk3tz0

    June 27, 2014 at 12:15

    Something tells me.. Sims 4 and Simcity 5 going to have the same launch issues..

    Reply

    • Johan du Preez

      June 27, 2014 at 13:53

      I agree but when last did EA do something right ?

      Reply

      • Sk3tz0

        June 27, 2014 at 15:08

        Urban Strike.. last time they did something right..

        Reply

        • Johan du Preez

          June 28, 2014 at 12:01

          A long time ago 🙂 Like you mentioned Urban Strike was good but that was in 1995 lol

          Reply

  13. Dutch Matrix

    June 27, 2014 at 12:19

    LoL! Judging by the comments, EA should just call this game Murder Simulator 4 and add sexual stuff that would make Jenna Jameson blush. THEN sit back and watch the Simoleons sorry dollars flow in…

    Reply

  14. Viking Of GabeN

    June 27, 2014 at 12:57

    Great, now How Am I going to drown all the virtual Toddlers.

    Reply

  15. Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

    June 27, 2014 at 12:59

    Damnit EA! Damn you to the pits of hell!! First Battlefield and now the Sims? Can you not disappear any further into the unholy hairy crack of Peter Moore?

    Reply

  16. Hondsepop

    June 27, 2014 at 13:04

    “Base Game”…..mmmm, nope. Pass.

    Reply

  17. Johan du Preez

    June 27, 2014 at 13:52

    It’s EA what do you expect they will release the pool as a DLC or paid for Expansion.

    Reply

  18. Sk3tz0

    June 27, 2014 at 15:12

    This reminds me of the Time EA said.. We cant just flip the switch to make Simcity offline.. Maybe they build the game around the idea of no pools. so now they cant just flip the switch to make pools.. 😛

    Reply

  19. Gareth L (That eXCheez Guy)

    June 27, 2014 at 15:29

    Oh EA.

    Reply

  20. MichaelMatusowsky

    June 27, 2014 at 20:43

    Swimming pool DLC :(.

    Reply

  21. Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

    June 28, 2014 at 10:31

    The thing is, it’s not just toddlers and pools, they’ve gone back to load screens and districts, which is a huge step backwards from the open-world/town experience of Sims 3. They’re also not including drive-ways, which presumably means you can’t get a car. Nor are there basements….

    I mean the list of omissions is just typical of current EA Maxis, and after SimCity the egg is really on our faces. Battlefield Hardline and now SimCity 4… Fuck you EA! I’m done!

    Reply

  22. rachel

    June 28, 2014 at 17:59

    https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/the-sims-team-include-toddlers-and-pools-in-the-sims-4-base-game petition to add toddlers and pools. Im sure this wont get us the two before the september release but its more to make a point to EA that they should be added to the base game ASAP. please share this link with other simmers and simming communities!!!

    Reply

  23. UK Player

    July 5, 2014 at 18:08

    Confirmed Missing
    ==============
    -No Create-A-Style [Confirmed cannot be added back later]
    -No Colour Wheel [Confirmed cannot be added back later]
    -No Swimming Pools
    -No swimming in the sea/rivers, etc.
    -No swimwear
    -No Toddlers age stage
    -No skin tone slider
    -No opacity slider for makeup
    -No shopping (Clothes, groceries, etc.)
    -No Favourites (food, music, and color)
    -No Left handed or right handed sims
    -No Dinner proposals
    -No Hireable gardeners
    -No WooHoo Skill
    -No Tragic clown
    -No Hot tubs
    -No Social bunny
    -No Private schools
    -No Adoption though townies and NPCs
    -No Random deaths
    -No Basements
    -No Sitting on the arms of chairs, couches etc.
    -No 64bit version of the game
    -No Storey Progression other than aging, dying and move in/out
    -No Rabbit-holes [No Work, Schools, Shops – Sims just vanish from Lot]
    -No Trams (They are decor only)
    -No Steamboats (They are decor only)
    -No Garages
    -No Bicycles
    -Maximum Lot size now limited to just 50×50
    -Loading Screens for Worlds
    -Loading Screens Hoods
    -Loading Screens for individual Lots/Families
    -Only 5 Hoods per World
    -Only 1 to 5 lots per Hoods
    -So only 9 to 21 lots per World (Most likely 14)
    -Only 1 World supplied in Base Game
    -All buildings on a Lot get the same foundation (no choice)
    -Buildings can only have 3 floors (plus a foundation and a roof)
    -Teens, Young Adults, Adults and Elders are all the same height.
    -Hair isn’t as realistic as TS3
    -Textures are blurry and lack bump mapping
    -Lots of so called new features are already in The Sims 3
    Multi-tasking Sims (The Sims 3 can read and relax in bed, watch TV while chatting, chat in groups, etc)
    Emotional moods (currently in the form of Moodlets in The Sims 3)

    Unconfirmed but believed to be true
    ===================================
    -No terrain sculpting
    -No user creatable ponds
    -No split-level homes
    -No Cars (They are decor only)
    -No Ghosts or any other Supernatural creatures

    Reply

  24. Pinel G

    August 13, 2014 at 18:23

    https://www.g2a.com/r/sim4pc Very good website to buy Sims4 Cheap!

    Reply

  25. shana

    September 10, 2014 at 09:04

    I think Sims 4 is missing a lot of things.
    my main concern is that there is no pools, firemen (my family died due to a fire) sprinklers, cars and I don’t know about others but I don’t like how the world split up into to a few different ones. they keep saying that the game is all about the sim but the term sim means simulation so if we are simulating life we should still be able to have all things that are in everyday life.

    Reply

  26. Ben

    December 15, 2018 at 02:13

    For anyone worried or thinking they might not get it because of these things: Both have been added for free ages ago.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Check Also

GOG announces re-release of Devotion, only to pull a U-turn hours later

I’d say it must be really interesting to be a fly on the wall over at CDPR right now, but …