The Sims 4 nightmare scenario

The Sims 4 was just announced by Maxis and EA, set to release in 2014. That gives them plenty of time to pitch us a new, better Sims game while still doing damage control on the SimCity bust from early March.

As of now, there are no details about Sims 4, but it's a franchise that has improved with each new release, has a ton of features, and is generally enjoyed by many. Still, I have a sour taste in my mouth from SimCity; all I can think about is how EA and Maxis could ruin the series. And so I give you my Sims 4 nightmare scenario…

Reliance on other players

In Sims 4, players will have to build a real community. The financial success of your household will depend on other players. If you want to build an add-on to your small one bedroom/one bathroom, you'll have to pool your income with other players. Ready to build a pool and diving board in your backyard? You'll have to find another player that works in the pool business to do the work.

After all, it's called The Sims 4, not The Sim 4.

Road congestion

The roads outside of your house have bumper-to-bumper traffic, mainly due to the problems stemming from the high-density avenues in SimCity. That quiet, suburban street you thought would be nice to raise your Sim kids on is now a highly dangerous place to play.

Watch poop move through the plumbing of your house

My favorite thing about SimCity was watching big, brown globs of poop moving under the roads of my city. That feature makes its way to Sims 4. While you can't watch the poop travel across a city, building up as it combines with other Sims' poops, you can watch the process start at the rear end of your Sim, traveling through the toilet's pipes, and ending in the septic tank. And then you'll have to hire another player to have them empty your septic tank. It's an already smaller SimCity on an even smaller scale.

Microtransactions to build up your family

Natural progression in The Sims has you settling down, marrying and having kids. Now you do all that through microtransactions. For $4.99, you can pay to unlock the wife/husband DLC. For another five bucks a pop, you can unlock extra family slots to have kids. Kids cost a lot of money in real life; now they can cost you money in-game.

Always-on DRM through Origin

EA and Maxis wouldn't make that mistake again, right?

You can follow Senior Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. He likes talking sports, video games, movies, and the stupidity of celebrities. Email at LLiebl@GameZone.com