A video purportedly taken from the next iteration of The Sims has surfaced online, sparking concern among fans about the future direction of the beloved series. Project Rene, often rumored to be The Sims 5 but officially described by EA as a spin-off, has been in development for several years. However, recent leaked footage from a game titled "City Life Game With Friends" has led many to speculate that this could indeed be the next mainline Sims game.
The leaked video, which runs for 20 minutes, shows the player navigating through text prompts to customize their character's outfit, hair, watch, and activities. The gameplay then transitions to a sunlit Plaza de Poupon, where the player's Sim buys food and interacts with other Sims before heading to work at an outdoor café. The characters in the video 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 red flag (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 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 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 reflect themes of "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," symbolizing the developers' commitment to a vibrant future for The Sims. However, images of Project Rene leaked last October from a closed online test, leading to criticism regarding the game's art style, limited features, and the use of microtransactions. The inclusion of a café in the leaked footage drew particular skepticism due to its similarities to 2018's The Sims Mobile. In response, EA reiterated that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but a distinct "cosy, social game" within The Sims franchise.
Meanwhile, fans of the series were reminded of the past with the return of The Burglar in the latest update for The Sims 4, bringing a nostalgic element back to the game.
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