A video claiming to be from the next installment of The Sims has surfaced online, sparking concern among fans about the future direction of the beloved series. Known as Project Rene, which is sometimes referred to as The Sims 5, though EA insists it's a separate spin-off, the project has been in the works for several years. Recent footage from a game titled "City Life Game With Friends" has led many to speculate that this could be the next Sims game.
The video, lasting 20 minutes, shows a player navigating through text prompts to customize their character's outfit, hair, watch, and activities before entering a sunlit Plaza de Poupon. There, the player purchases food and interacts with other characters, later working at an outdoor café. The characters are referred to as Sims, speak 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," another 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," posited 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 [sic] satire about capitalist suburban consumption-as-happiness.... And this is where the Sims ended up. Endless consumption-as-happiness," suggested another.
Project Rene, initially rumored 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 game with 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 leaks.
The name Rene was chosen to reflect themes of "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," symbolizing the developers' renewed commitment to the future of The Sims.
Last October, images of Project Rene leaked from a closed online test, leading to criticism regarding the art style, limited features, and the inclusion of microtransactions. The addition of a café, reminiscent of 2018's The Sims Mobile, drew particular skepticism. In response, EA clarified that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but a different "cosy, social game" under The Sims franchise.
Meanwhile, fans of the series were delighted to see The Burglar, a nostalgic character from older Sims games, return in the latest update for The Sims 4.
