A video purportedly from the next iteration of The Sims has surfaced online, sparking concern among fans about the future of the beloved franchise. Dubbed Project Rene, which is often mistakenly referred to as The Sims 5, though EA insists it's a separate spin-off, the project has been in development for several years. Recent footage from a game titled "City Life Game With Friends" has led many to believe this could be the next Sims installment.
The video, lasting a full 20 minutes, showcases the player navigating through text prompts to customize their character's outfit, hair, watch, and activities. The gameplay then transitions to the player spawning in a sunlit Plaza de Poupon, where they engage in activities like buying food and socializing with other characters. Later, the player works at an outdoor café. The characters in the video are referred to as Sims, communicate in Simlish, and feature the iconic Plumbob, hallmarks of The Sims series.
"I am terribly disappointed with Project Rene. Yes, I know, according to EA, 'this is not the final game.' Is this a joke or what?" expressed one dissatisfied player on The Sims' subreddit in a post titled "I think Project Rene is a red flag (I hope not)," which garnered hundreds of upvotes."EA clearly wants to kill off normal Sims games and push people toward the mobile-style experience. So in their mind, a reboot literally means this — at least that’s what I THINK."
"This is not going to be for me, I can tell already," another fan commented. "It just seems so basic and I don't want to play The Sims on my phone."
"The funny thing is, making a PC/mobile cross-compatible Sims game isn't a bad idea," suggested a fan. "EA just believes that mobile games HAVE to be ugly for some reason. They're chasing all of the design trends of the past decade, but it means that this thing already looks dated and it's not even out yet."
"The way The Sims was a literally satire about capitalist suburban consumption-as-happiness.... And this is where the Sims ended up. Endless consumption-as-happiness," another user remarked.
Initially teased in 2022 during a Behind the Sims Summit, Project Rene was described as a free-to-play game with multiplayer elements inspired by Animal Crossing and Among Us. Despite not having a formal reveal or release date, EA has been conducting small, invite-only playtests since its announcement, which likely led to the recent leaks.
The name "Rene" embodies concepts like "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," symbolizing the developers' renewed commitment to the future of The Sims.
Last October, images from a closed online test of Project Rene leaked, drawing criticism for its art style, limited features, and the inclusion of microtransactions. The addition of a café, reminiscent of 2018's The Sims Mobile, raised particular skepticism. In response, EA clarified that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but a distinct "cozy, social game" within The Sims franchise.
In other news, The Burglar, a nostalgic element from older Sims games, has made a return in the latest update for The Sims 4, much to the delight of long-time fans.
