A video purportedly from the next iteration of The Sims has surfaced online, sparking concern among fans about the future direction of the beloved series. Known as Project Rene, this project has been rumored to be The Sims 5, though EA insists it is a spin-off. Recent early access footage from a game titled "City Life Game With Friends" has led many to believe it could be the next installment in the franchise.
The video, lasting 20 minutes, shows a player navigating through text prompts to customize their character's appearance and activities. The gameplay then transitions to a sunlit Plaza de Poupon, where the player's character, referred to as a Sim, engages in social interactions and work at an outdoor café. The presence of Sims characters, Simlish language, and the iconic Plumbob further fuels speculation about its connection to 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 frustrated player on The Sims' subreddit in a post titled "I think Project Rene is a redflag (I hope not)," which has 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," commented another. "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," proposed 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 literally a satire about capitalist suburban consumption-as-happiness... And this is where the Sims ended up. Endless consumption-as-happiness," reflected another.
Project Rene, initially speculated to be The Sims 5 until EA clarified it as a separate project, was first hinted at in 2022 during a Behind the Sims Summit. It's a free-to-play game with multiplayer elements inspired by Animal Crossing and Among Us. Although not yet officially revealed or given a release date, EA has been conducting small, invite-only playtests since its announcement, with the latest playtest likely being the source of these leaks.
The name "Rene" embodies concepts like "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," symbolizing the developer's renewed dedication to the future of The Sims.
Last October, leaked images from Project Rene emerged from a closed online test, prompting criticism regarding its art style, limited features, and microtransactions. The inclusion of a café particularly raised eyebrows due to its similarities to 2018's The Sims Mobile. At that point, EA confirmed that Project Rene was not The Sims 5 but a distinct "cosy, social game" under The Sims franchise.
Meanwhile, fans of The Sims 4 were pleasantly surprised by the return of The Burglar in the latest update, a nostalgic nod to the series' earlier iterations.
