The Sims 3

The Sims 3 is a confirmed next-generation simulation game. This was confirmed on November 2, 2006, by EA chief financial officer Warren Jenson who said, "Yes, there's a Sims 3 in development and it's likely to be a fiscal '09 title." In July 2007 AI researcher Richard Evans, who is part of the TS3 team, gave a talk at the annual AIIDE (Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment) conference in California, notes from which can be read here. The working title has been announced to be released in 2009, however there is no specific date. The game is said to be partially developed by Criterion Software.

According to the games for windows magazine "The biggest change to The Sims 3 is that it takes place in a wide-open, constantly changing neighborhood -- a much bigger sandbox." It is confirmed that the game will be an open neighborhood by the official website (this probably means the game will have an Open World or Neighborhood similar to games like Grand Theft Auto, Bully, Need For Speed Carbon and Burnout Paradise). However it is unknown what an open neighborhood would deal with, it could infer anything from a contiguous, real-time neighborhood that can act as a city to decide things, or to an actual urban area reminiscent of The Urbz: Sims in the City. However it is alluded to that in the living neighborhood all the action takes place and it is a innovative way for the Sims to explore the neighborhood. The loading of lots from disk, and lot based playing will be history. Now every action will take place in a seamless living neighborhood. In that Neighborhood will be lots, colleges, parks, shops and other places Sims like to explore. All your Sims, and their Sim friends and family are in this Neighborhood. They can dine, visit, shop, and relax.

In The Sims 2: Free Time, a computer is delivered to every household that a player plays by Mr. Rob Humble. On it, Sims can play The Sims 3 game. A video of this can be seen on YouTube. It shows something towards a continuous, panning neighborhood, diagonal placings for objects, better lighting systems, and the ability to change shoes in the CAS. The preview only lasts about one minute, and has poor resolution.

The Sims 3 Official Site also reveals that players now have greater customization options. Such things like Personality, Create-A-Sim, and Build Mode have been expanded.

The only neighborhood that will ship with The Sims 3 is Sim Valley, rumored to be Pleasantview another 20 years from The Sims 2. It is unknown whether the game will include weather, as in The Sims 2: Seasons, and it has been confirmed that several expansion packs will ship periodically after the game's initial release.

Neighborhood Continuity
The only neighborhood that will ship with The Sims 3 is Sim Valley, rumored to be Pleasantview another 20 years from The Sims 2.

With another 20 year jump many questions from the second game will be answered. Cassandra Goth may be with Don Lothario or Darren Dreamer. The Elder Goth's like Mortimer Goth will most likely be deceased and possibly Bella Goth. That is if she returned from her alien abduction. This also means all the children from the the second game will have at least aged to adults. Some will have had children who might be in the child or teenage stage. And all the adults from the second will have aged to elders or possibly passed on. The Sims 3 will answer old storylines and open new ones making for interesting game play.