EA's New Sims Concept Leaks Online, Fans Unhappy

A video purportedly from the next iteration of The Sims has surfaced online, sparking concern among fans about the future of the beloved franchise. Dubbed Project Rene, this project has been rumored to be The Sims 5, although EA insists it's a spin-off. Recent footage of a game titled "City Life Game With Friends" has led many to believe this could be the next entry in The Sims series.

The video, lasting 20 minutes, shows a player navigating through text prompts to customize their character's appearance and activities. The player then enters a sunlit Plaza de Poupon, engages in social interactions, and works at an outdoor café. Throughout the footage, characters are referred to as Sims, speak in Simlish, and display the iconic Plumbob, reinforcing the connection to The Sims.

"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 fan remarked. "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 a literally [sic] satire about capitalist suburban consumption-as-happiness... And this is where the Sims ended up. Endless consumption-as-happiness," another user observed.

Initially teased in 2022 during a Behind the Sims Summit, Project Rene is a free-to-play game featuring multiplayer elements inspired by games like Animal Crossing and Among Us. Though not officially revealed or given a release date, EA has been conducting small, invite-only playtests since its announcement, with recent leaks likely stemming from these sessions.

The name "Rene" reflects themes of "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," symbolizing the developers' commitment to a vibrant future for The Sims. However, last October's leaked images from a closed online test drew criticism regarding the art style, limited features, and the use of microtransactions. The inclusion of a café, reminiscent of The Sims Mobile from 2018, further fueled skepticism. EA then clarified that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but a distinct "cozy, social game" under The Sims franchise.

In other news, The Burglar, a nostalgic character for longtime Sims players, has made a return in the latest update for The Sims 4.