A video purportedly taken from the next iteration of The Sims has popped up online, sparking concern among fans about the future direction of the beloved series.
Project Rene - the codename often used interchangeably with The Sims 5, although EA insists Project Rene is a separate spin-off project - has been the subject of speculation for a few years. However, early access footage from a game titled "City Life Game With Friends" has led many players to believe that this could be the next installment in The Sims series.
The video itself spans 20 minutes and shows the player navigating through text prompts to choose their outfit, hair, watch, activities, and more. The player then enters a sunlit Plaza de Poupon, where they purchase food and interact with other characters. Later, they work at an outdoor café.
Throughout the playtest, characters are referred to as Sims, communicate in Simlish, and feature the iconic Plumbob, further fueling speculation about its connection to The Sims franchise.
"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?" **said one unhappy player** on The Sims' subreddit in a post titled "I think Project Rene is a redflag (I hope not)" that 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," said 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," 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 literally a satire about capitalist suburban consumption-as-happiness... And this is where the Sims ended up. Endless consumption-as-happiness," commented another.
Project Rene — the codenamed game initially thought to be The Sims 5 until EA clarified otherwise — was first teased in 2022 during a Behind the Sims Summit. It's a free-to-play Sims game that incorporates multiplayer elements inspired by Animal Crossing and Among Us. Although it hasn't been 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 recent leaks.
The name Rene was chosen to symbolize "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," reflecting the developers' commitment to a bright future for The Sims.
However, images of Project Rene leaked last October from a closed online test, prompting criticism regarding the art style, limited features, and the use of microtransactions. The inclusion of a café drew particular scrutiny due to its similarities to 2018's The Sims Mobile. In response, EA clarified that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but will be a distinct "cosy, social game" under The Sims franchise.
In other news, The Sims 4 recently received an update that reintroduced The Burglar, a character familiar to long-time fans of the series.
