The Sims 4 is one of the most divisive games around for various reasons such as gameplay and content. The Sims community has been sundered since its release back in 2014, with many long-time fans disliking it and newcomers finding it welcoming and easy to get into. However, more recent serious gameplay problems have led many to hope EA will abandon The Sims 4 and move on to The Sims 5 for a fresh start. It's not a bad idea either since The Sims 4 didn't really have a foundation built on the franchise, and starting from scratch could redeem the series.
The Sims 4 has been around for eight years now, and while there is no shortage of content, its core gameplay remains at the same level as when it first released. In many cases it's a major step down from previous titles in terms of detail and how much players get for their money. However, most of these issues come the fact that it wasn't developed as a traditional single-player Sims game but was intended to be an online experience.
The Sims 4 was started out as "Project Olympus" and was in development as an online spinoff where players took control of their created Sim and interacted with other players' Sims. There was meant to be a chat function, additional social skills in place of regular skills, player lots, and more, while usual Sims features like random events and an active world either took a backseat or were cut. This was all happening just before the release of SimCity 2013, one of the biggest failures gaming has seen in a long time.
SimCity 2013 essentially destroyed the franchise in part due to its online-only gameplay and broken multiplayer modes. This botched game led EA to reconsider the entire idea of releasing an online only Sims game. However, the deadline for release was closing in with around a year left -- not nearly enough time to completely restart such a complex game. Instead, the developers opted to rework what they had and piece together a mainline entry, which became The Sims 4.
The main parts which remained were Create-A-Sim, the Emotions system, and Build/Buy Mode, all of which had to be refined. Other features like AI, traits, events, and aging had to be added last minute, which is why many features that had been series staples were missing at launch and why the gameplay feels lackluster compared to previous titles. The Sims 4 was never meant to be a true Sims game, but was hastily converted into one. This was a major mistake, but one that can be learned from for the future.
Sims games are large and complex with various systems and AI which all need to be managed either by the game or the player. If there is to be a Sims 5, it needs to be built as a Sims game from the ground up in order to have the proper solo play with the wackiness, spontaneity, and detail Sims fans love about the franchise. With how technology has advanced in recent years, there is lots of potential for The Sims 5 in terms of neighborhood capabilities, Sim behaviorm and new systems.
While The Sims 4 still struggles with bugs and gameplay issues, there its plenty of reason to be hopeful for the franchise's future. If EA learned and The Sims 5 is being developed as intended for the franchise from the beginning, it has the potential to be a great addition that takes what previous games have done right, fixing what its predecessor got wrong, and bringing gameplay to the next level.