A video purportedly taken from the next iteration of The Sims has surfaced online, sparking concern among fans about the future of the beloved series. Known as Project Rene, which has been rumored to be The Sims 5 but is officially described by EA as a spin-off project, the game has been in development for several years. The leaked footage, titled "City Life Game With Friends," has led many to speculate that this could indeed be the next installment in The Sims franchise.
The video, which runs for a full 20 minutes, showcases a player navigating through various text prompts to customize their character's outfit, hair, watch, and activities. The player then enters a sunlit Plaza de Poupon, where they purchase food and interact with other characters. Later, the player heads to work at an outdoor café. Throughout the video, characters are referred to as Sims, communicate in Simlish, and feature the iconic Plumbob, further fueling 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 dissatisfied player on The Sims subreddit in a highly upvoted post titled "I think Project Rene is a red flag (I hope not)." The player continued, "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."Another fan remarked, "This is not going to be for me, I can tell already. It just seems so basic and I don't want to play The Sims on my phone." A different perspective was offered by a fan who said, "The funny thing is, making a PC/mobile cross-compatible Sims game isn't a bad idea. 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."
Reflecting on the thematic direction of the series, another commenter noted, "The way The Sims was a literal satire about capitalist suburban consumption-as-happiness... And this is where the Sims ended up. Endless consumption-as-happiness."
Project Rene, initially thought to be The Sims 5 until EA clarified otherwise, was first teased in 2022 during a Behind the Sims Summit. It is described as a free-to-play Sims game with multiplayer elements inspired by Animal Crossing and Among Us. While the game has not been officially revealed or given a release date, EA has conducted small, invite-only playtests since its announcement, which likely led to these recent leaks.
The name "Rene" was chosen to symbolize "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," reflecting the developers' commitment to the future of The Sims. However, last October, images from Project Rene leaked 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 skepticism due to its similarities to 2018's The Sims Mobile. In response, EA clarified that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but a different "cosy, social game" within The Sims franchise.
Meanwhile, fans of the classic Sims experience were delighted by the return of The Burglar in the latest update for The Sims 4, bringing back a nostalgic element for long-time players.
