The Sims 4 criticised over controversial new feature

The Sims 4 players have spoken up over a controversial change introduced in the most recent patch.

Last week's update added a shopping cart button in the top right for some players during gameplay. The button is there to recommend unowned packs.

"This cart emblazoned button has many uses ranging from sharing pack offers and sales information to recommending packs you might be interested in. All accessible without leaving the comfort of your Sims’ homes," the patch notes said.

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The button was initially glitched, with Simmers reporting it to be constantly pulsating. This was quickly addressed in a hotfix patch, though the button itself remains.

The online reaction to the new button has been very negative, including on the official forums and social media.

A thread on EA's Answers HQ site, which allows players to report bugs and share feedback, currently stands at around 400 posts.

One poster said that the new addition was making the game "less enjoyable", commenting that they found it disruptive to the gameplay. They added that they were uncomfortable with how players were being nudged towards making purchases.

Another requested a setting to make the appearance of the button optional instead, while others have suggested they would not purchase any more packs until the feature was removed.

A community manager at EA responded by confirming that the feedback was being "heard".

"I am sending out daily collated reports on this topic to the team and doing my absolute best to be your voice," they said.

Meanwhile, a few user-created mods have been released by community members that remove the shopping cart button.

Digital Spy has also reached out to EA for comment.

The controversy comes amid a wave of layoffs at EA. The publisher is said to be moving away from future licensed games and instead putting greater focus on its existing franchises, including The Sims.

The fifth core Sims game, which currently has the working title of Project Rene, is in development.

The Sims 4 is available on PC, Mac, PlayStation, and Xbox.