A video that appears to be from the next installment of The Sims has surfaced online, sparking concerns among fans about the future direction of the beloved series. Dubbed Project Rene, this project has been rumored for years and is sometimes referred to as The Sims 5, although EA insists that Project Rene is a separate spin-off. Recent early access footage titled "City Life Game With Friends" has led many to speculate that it could be the next major Sims game.
The 20-minute video showcases a player navigating through text prompts to customize their character's outfit, hair, accessories, 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 in the video are referred to as Sims, speak in Simlish, and feature the iconic Plumbob, reinforcing the 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?" expressed one frustrated fan on The Sims subreddit in a highly upvoted post titled "I think Project Rene is a red flag (I hope not).""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," the fan continued. Another player chimed in, "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."
However, not all feedback was negative. "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."
Another fan reflected on the series' themes, stating, "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."
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. While it hasn't been officially unveiled 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 the recent leaks.
The name "Rene" reflects themes of "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," symbolizing the developer's renewed commitment to the future of The Sims. Last October, leaked images from a closed test led to criticism regarding the game's 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 a distinct "cosy, social game" within The Sims franchise.
Meanwhile, fans of the older Sims games were pleasantly surprised by the return of The Burglar in the latest update for The Sims 4, bringing back a nostalgic element to the series.
