I have seen what Multiplayer Mentality does. It usually causes a game to designed into an over-simplified repetitive micro-transaction riddled DLC-infested internet bro-culture meme. Both TS4 and GTA5 are evident of this.

But I have to admit, it would be intriguing to see how a second The Sims Online game would turn out. I imagine if I was drunk enough I would enjoy burning another players virtual home down and woohoo-ing their virtual wife.

After all this, I'm still divided over it. I've played games where players can visit your town or house and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's one thing to see a picture of someone's house here ... another thing to attend a party thrown there! (I'm thinking of the Zynga game YoVille here. I think it's called something else now, but back when I played the app, it was YoVille.) Sims Social also allowed you to visit someone's house, as does Sims FreePlay. In the case of FreePlay, though, you can't really interact with the Sim in real time; at least not in the way that Sims Online did.

Yes, I really liked this. I found it a blast most of the time (see below). Yes, I was hoping to see this sort of interaction when I finally got Sims 3 Showtime last year. (You can send Sims to another person's town to perform.)

But now, I'm not so sure.

Multi-player interaction has its good points and its bad points. It can be an outlet for bullies and jerks. I had a stalker who was an absolute jerk when I played YoVille. People might also find a loophole to steal your stuff or find other ways to mess up your lot or town (I'm not sure about Showtime, but I have seen this happen with other games on other platforms). And it should never be a key part of a finishing a quest or meeting a want. This might be a problem with EA because it would probably want to crow about this feature.

As long as you are able to privately invite someone. the multiplayer interaction is not essential to enjoying the series, and there are excellent security measures and means to boot someone without losing your stuff, I'm all for it! But I might be asking way too much of EA.

Pretty much what I was saying in one of the posts above.
What I have in mind would be like a private Minecraft server, but for the sims 2 basically. You invite/let in anyone you want. If you aren't logged in, my sims cannot interact with yours. So no one can play in your back, when you're not online, or on the server.
You can still play your single player (the sims 2 you have right now) But you can also play that 'Hood, uploaded on the server, if you log in.
And, the good thing is..there is no TNT in the sims 2..

I played the revided TSO/FreeSo in this week, and I wanna add: I really did enjoyed playing it Sux that is runs with TS1 engine and you only start with 0simoleans tho :/

Yes! The keywords are private, whitelisted, and optional. I don't want just anybody running around ruining my perfect world!

Yeah..it,s the sims original feel to it that kills it for me.
Not that I never enjoyed it, I did..and this is what lead me to the sims 2 but honestly, I would never go back...

I was kind of agreeing with what SneakyWingPhoenix said between our posts.

To play Sims 2 I don't need to be connected with internet. This is main reason I like this game. I am using internet to hunt CC and socialize with other simmers but I want play game when and how I want. I don't want to be dependent on another players.

I have kiddos to bringing the project from the coffin. That (spin-off ) game is a perfect example of how EA should provide (optional) multiplayer game. I myself am too working on a project that introduces The Sims Online by incorperated another game, that provides a modification tools of creating one. Might sound ridiculous, but I have plans to incorperate the sims series into minecraft. I brainstorm most of the stuff, such as objects, could work in that sandbox game, and I still do that. I promise you that it might turn to be a succesful collab that I will be working on

Well they concluded wrong. While there is a young component I believe the player base for sims 2 is significantly older. Average age now being 18-30 with a high percentage being 30-55