Back in February/March, we had two leaked videos (which turned out to be real) about the next two EPs, Generations and Pets. I know at the time there was speculation that the reason both videos were released was to offset the disappointment that Pets wasn't the next EP to come out. As in, "Don't feel bad, players! Pets is coming after this next EP." Maybe they figure since we're getting Pets, we don't need to have anything leaked early about the next expansion. Maybe they're just waiting for Pets to come out before they leak any info about the next expansion, which is the usual way of things, right?

We're a little over a week away from the launch of Pets, and I haven't seen any indication of what's coming next. Has anyone else?

I'm not asking people to speculate or talk about what they want to see here (since there's already a sticky for that). I just want to know what, if anything, has actually been leaked or released from EA or its employees.

They said the next expansion is related to new aspects of life, but it's not related to magic. I don't remember which interview they said it, though...

Aspects of life? Like Generations again? ew.

Yeah, I just ran across this news while reading back pages in the sticky thread. I thought the same thing, as in, Didn't we just get an EP about aspects of life?

What's this one gonna be called, "Generations 2, Because There Was Stuff We Left Out the First Time"...?

Well, even if it might be a bit of wishfull thinking: what if they make something like "univeristy" that came to ts2 ^w^
It's a "new" aspect of live in ts3. And for all I recall university didn't contain any mayor magical things.

Still, just think about the diffrent aspects that they can add... and forgott about in generations.

Like I said, I don't want this thread to devolve into a "here's what I hope they come out with next" thread, because we already have that. I don't want yet another thread where people are arguing over/ whining about not having witches or werewolves. Let's try to stick to what's been reported or leaked...

Also, yes... university is doubtless wishful thinking, since I think a Guru on Twitter said they weren't doing a university EP for TS3. Maybe I'm misremembering, though...

"Life aspects" is maddeningly vague. While it's true enough that there was more that could have been put into Generations (or Late Night, for that matter), doing a Generations redux won't be something players will readily buy. I've already skipped Generations, and if this new EP is gonna be a "Stuff We Left Out of Generations the First Time" thing, I'll skip it, too. At least until it goes on sale...

I'm afraid that by giving us a hint like "life aspects," they're telegraphing that this is going to be lame...

I can only hope they meant SEASONAL aspects of life... I think it is high time to make Seasons for TS3.

They usually don't announce the next EP until about three months after the last EP was released. Pets was an exception, but I think that's because they wanted to show it off at E3 (the big Spring trade show in LA). So I wouldn't hold your breath... most likely to be March before we hear anything officially.

I know. I WANT SEASONS!!! Twas my favourite part of Sims 2. The rain and snowstorms, the different seasonal lighting...*sigh* I miss it!

Some may have noticed that Generations had some weather-themed objects. The painting featuring the freezer bunny in the rain and that childrens' decorative object 'Dj Sammy' which holds a little sign over her head with icons of sun, clouds, rain and snow.

These could very well be easter eggs in a classic The Sims spirit... but I wouldn't count on it, it's EA after all. : P

I have to say that if they do give us easter eggs they will be in pets. and Its been pointed out that the world we get with pets could indicate seasons will be next. But as for official leaks it appears we have none

Every expansion is an introduction of "new aspects of life." Travelling, nightlife, and pets are all "aspects of life," as are college, businesses, seasons, hobbies, and apartments. By telling us that the next expansion pack is about "new aspects of life," EA is essentially telling us to shut up and just wait it out.

I remember a SimGuru saying in an interview that it won't be similar to any previous expansions from either the Sims 3 or Sims 2. However, Sims 1 EPs were not mentioned, which made me go hmmmm.....
I don't recall the link, unfortunately, but I remember reading it in the Sims 3 Pets forum.

I am almost positive they'll bring weather back eventually, I just hope it's not on the cusp of releasing Sims 4, so that we don't get to enjoy it before switching to 4...assuming 4 is superior in enough ways to convince us to start all over again with a base.

I'd have to say the same thing, only with magic. I don't want them to do what they've done before and release the magical ep last! And "new aspects of life" is incredibly vague, though I doubt that we'll get Generations part 2. I don't think they would be that stupid. Of course I don't know why Generations happened at all, because I have to say that in my opinion it's the worst ep.

Generations and Pets getting leaked together was very strange, but it's pretty clear why they leaked them together.

The same thing is not going to happen with the next Expansion Pack. Do you remember how long it took for us to even see the title of "Generations"? It was like in late January or February, and at that point we didn't even know what it was because it said "The Sims Generations". I remember when it first showed up. Not a single person took it seriously at that point. And then EA officially announced Generations in... May was it? We have a long wait. And it will be an incredibly long wait to find out that isn't even seasons. =/

Generations done right with expansion on babies, an instrument that kids can play along with teens and adults, University for young adults, and open restaurants for dates and family outings would have really been something, but they can't take that back unfortunately.

Unfortunately, since new ideas that fit into (and are appropriate for) The Sims series, are possible to implement, and fit the $40 price point are hard to come by, we may end up with another Generations - as in, shiny objects thrown in (and strongly advertised) that the fanbase asked for to throw them off from realizing that they're getting a Stuff Pack with minor features for the price of a full Expansion Pack.

Please prove me wrong, EA. Please.

I don't believe that EA would miss out cashing with weather and seasons on TS3. It has always been after all a very anticipated and loved aspect in The Sims. So I don't believe they'd skip it. But they could just give us something crappy and halfmade just to cash in those last dollars too before moving onto TS4. Also I don't believe weathers or seasons to be part of TS4 basegame, as it is such a delicious opportunity for them to cash in big time again by making it an EP for that too! : P

And about Season themed EP in general... There have been TONS of indication of those in TS3.

-You find snow, rain, thunder, tornados, earthquakes and falling leaves in the game's unused animations (if you are familiar with the fog emitter object that came with AMB, you can take a peek.)
-We have the wind blowing already. This should be able to be altered, if you take a look at the base game's ini.-files.
-Some of the skies have small "weather" cycles going on already. Like in Bridgeport, you get very gloomy days that look like a storm coming up, but also sunny days...
-In WA, Egypt has heatwaves. So it shouldn't be too hard for EA to develop other type of seasonal stuff like that.
-In Pets, we get tons of autumn-y trees and even a fallen leaves terrain paint. These could be unused stuff from the development of Weather? So could the ice cream truck be too. But they could also be leftovers from the abandoned development of Seasons...

But EA has not uttered a single word to any direction when it comes to this, so I wouldn't get my hopes up before we get something even remotely official from them. :/

Wishfull thinking: How cool would it be to have a Seasons/Holiday pack?

Lets face it, the traveling in WA isn't quite the same as going on a relaxing holiday, but with a seasons/holiday pack we could sent out sim on wintersport or a relaxing caribean holiday in the sun.

AFAIR, I read a news in SimPrograms that the next thing after Pets is an SP, called Master Suite SP. Here is the news...

Well, i think that Sims 3 don't need more episodes: it's time to think about a Sims 4 maybe?
The Pets episode will really introduce something new, completing the base game, but after this there is no point stretching the game: it will break.
But of course they will release eps and stuff packs to make more money, you can bet on that.
Yhei failed with Sims Medieval: i liked it for some weeks, but without the ability to build, edit or play real rpg quest the product got boring, no flesh, no fish.

I assume they will not stop before 7 or 8 EPs, after seeing that TS1 and TS2 have that many of EPs. But, if they don't make any Seasons EP, it's a SHAME ON YOU, EA!

Well, going along the pattern that Sims 3 has gone on so far (remake, new, remake, new, remake), the next EP doesn't look like it will be based on seasons (this does mean that if/when a seasons EP is released it'll more likely be EP7 or EP9, putting it very late in 3's development cycle). Considering there is coding in the game for seasons/weather, we should get it at some point.

As for when the next EP info will be released? I'm betting November.

It could be anything, really. For me, what's missing now is weather and magic. It would be very cool if they added three new destinations to the weather EP and one new to the magic EP.

See, that's what I'm saying... and what I fear.

I loved the Apartment Life EP in Sims 2, but I felt like I didn't get to enjoy it for very long before 3 released. Yes, I know, no one forced me to stop playing Sims 2. But I wanted to move on to Sims 3, it was the next step for me, and Apartment Life kind of fell by the wayside.

Yay for weather. And retail shops. And pool tables.
Don't worry they will release it, it's too lucrative to turn down.
I need rain. Badly.