The Sims 4 unveiled, due next year

Electronic Arts has unveiled The Sims 4 for 2014.

The next installment in the million-selling series was shown off for the first time during EA’s Gamescom press conference in Cologne.

The game features enhanced creation tools and a stronger focus on the Sims’ emotions, which will directly affect their behaviour with a new techology that Maxis calls SmartSim. For example, if a Sim is angry, he cannot flirt.

Encounters between Sims will also affect how they react to each other next time they meet.

Users will also have more control over how their Sim looks and behaves. They can edit every part of their body, and even choose how the character walks.

A new website is live for fans who want to find out more and the game is available to pre-order today.