EA's New Sims Concept Leaks Online, Fans Disappointed

A video purportedly from the next iteration 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 mistakenly referred to as The Sims 5, though EA clarifies it's a spin-off, this project has been in the works for a few years. The leaked footage, titled "City Life Game With Friends," has led many to speculate that it could be the next installment in The Sims franchise.

The video, lasting 20 minutes, shows a player navigating through text prompts to customize their character's outfit, hair, watch, and activities. The gameplay then transitions to the character, referred to as a Sim, entering a sunlit Plaza de Poupon to engage in activities such as buying food and socializing. The Sim later works at an outdoor café. Throughout the playtest, the characters are distinctly called Sims, communicate in Simlish, and feature the iconic Plumbob, all hallmarks of The Sims series.

"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 satire about capitalist suburban consumption-as-happiness... And this is where the Sims ended up. Endless consumption-as-happiness," another fan observed.

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 designed as 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, likely leading to these recent leaks.

The name "Rene" reflects themes of "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," symbolizing the developers' renewed commitment to the future of The Sims.

Last October, images from Project Rene leaked during a closed online test, drawing criticism for its art style, limited features, and the use of microtransactions. The inclusion of a café, reminiscent of 2018's The Sims Mobile, sparked particular skepticism. In response, EA confirmed that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but a different "cosy, social game" under The Sims franchise.

Meanwhile, fans of The Sims 4 were pleasantly surprised by the return of The Burglar, a nostalgic element from older games, in the latest update.