14 DAY TRIAL // Publisher Electronic Arts has registered the website TheSims4.com at some point in early July, suggesting that the company is getting ready to announce a new installment in its long running life simulation series, possibly at the Tokyo Games Show that takes place in September.
Publishers have been known to register web sites that use variations of the name of important franchises as a way to make sure that they are not used by other entities that seek to profit from their clout.
In recent years web site registrations have been seen as a sure sign that a project was in development and the fact that Electronic Arts has not commented on the new site might mean that the company is preparing an official announcement and wants to have all its bases covered.
Electronic Arts recently ended speculation linked to the next game in the Sims series, officially announcing that The Sims Medieval was set to arrive on the PC and on the Mac in March 2011.
The new game will take players back to the Middle Ages and will apparently have more of an adventure feel, with the player able to built a kingdom of his own by performing a series of quests while also taking care of the more primary needs of his character, like nourishment and housing.
The Sims 3 is now out on the PC and on the Mac and those who game on consoles will also be able to get the game on October 26 for the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, the Nintendo Wii and the DS.
Electronic Arts is also planning to launch Sims 3 for the Nintendo 3DS, the handheld that allows players to experience three dimensional gaming without the use of specialized glasses.
It's not clear what Electronic Arts might be planning for The Sims 4 but a lot of rumors have been swirling around that the developers might be interested in adding more social elements to the life simulation series.