Why do simulation games keep adding content that has nothing to do with the simulation?

[Jamie7Gs]

I've been playing Contraband Police casually since release, and while I really enjoy the core gameplay — inspecting vehicles, catching smugglers, doing all the little minigames that simulate being a border guard — I don't understand why the game seems determined to pull me away from that.

Instead of doubling down on the simulation elements, it adds missions (or expansions) where you're sneaking around, engaging in combat, or chasing enemies. None of that has anything to do with the original appeal: the border inspection process. It almost feels like the developers lost faith that the core loop could stand on its own and decided they needed to throw in generic action mechanics to "spice it up."

I don't mind games evolving or adding variety, but when the additional content feels completely disconnected from the reason I picked up the game in the first place, it just feels jarring. It turns what could have been a tightly focused, unique experience into something that feels unfocused.

Is it just me? Are people really asking for stealth and shootouts in games that were sold to us as niche simulations? I'd honestly rather have more complex inspections, deeper contraband systems, harder choices — anything that builds on the original idea, not something that feels like it's from a totally different game. It's not just Contraband Police too. This seems to be a common thing with a lot of simulation games. Gas station simulator is another big culprit.

Curious what others think.

[Tokyo Gray]

I don't have much to add, but the expansions ruined playing on my Steam Deck. It worked well before. I'm not even really interested in driving around, dropping off prisoners and contraband. I mostly want to stay immersed in the border check aspect. There's plenty hat could be expanded on, with different scenarios, rather than adding overly involved action events.
Anyway, I'm with you on this.

[Hexagoros]

I wish the gunplay was just 'better' all around.

There's a surprising number of gunfights in this game, and the guns just aren't very enjoyable to use.

If they fixed that, I think that would do a lot to fix the problem.

Also, I really wish you could disable having to check for "car damage" in Sandbox. It's just not fun have to inspect every little detail of the car's exterior. That, or make it so one of your (many) border guard buddies could do that part for you while you do the rest of the inspection.

[headsdown97]

I see where you are coming from. However, I don't necessarily agree. To me the simulation is maintaining true to its core. That is we are embodying the role of a police officer assigned to a border crossing for a communist country.

This would reasonably imply that we would chase border runners and get in shoot outs with rebels. I can see how getting missions to go out away from the border station could be unrealistic. There is a police HQ down the road after all, why not one of them? But if we are one of the only higher ranking officers in this area, that may be why. This could easily be jarring in a modern scope, but this is the 1980's in a fictional country. This could be an issue of bureaucratic inefficiency and corruption that causes this to be a reality in game.

Personally I don't have an issue with being the main character and action hero of the entire region.

I do agree with you on gas station simulator, each major DLC just seems to be anything but a gas station. Airfield and a junkyard? they do seem jarring. Some worked okay, like the party time DLC though.