In an update published on its official website, the company has revealed that rather than focusing on “linear, sequential Sims releases”, it instead intends to offer players a wide variety of experiences, the centerpiece of which will continue to be The Sims 4. Also included will be Project Rene, previously rumoured to be The Sims 5, but described now by EA as “a story driven mobile test”.

“When we talk about The Sims as an entertainment platform driven by our community, it’s because we see the future of The Sims as more than any one title,” the update reads. “We’re expanding the franchise to better serve the diverse needs of the growing number of Simmers around the world. The Sims will move beyond linear, sequential Sims releases and offer more options for players than ever before. We’re focused on creating a variety of games and experiences that will touch different categories across the simulated life genre including cozy games, social and collaborative based gameplay, mobile narrative games and continued depth, improvements, and modernization of The Sims 4, which will continue to be a foundational Sims experience.

“We’re creating new and innovative experiences that connect with players on their terms, wherever they are and however they choose to play. These explorations are being tested via The Sims Labs including individual features from Project Rene, a story driven mobile test, enhancements to The Sims 4 with discovery and search tools, creator tools, and more.”

Interestingly, franchise boss Kate Gorman has also confirmed in an interview with Variety that there are no plans to make The Sims 5 and use it to replace The Sims 4, with the plan instead being to continue supporting, enhancing, and expanding on The Sims 4.

“The way to think about it is, historically, The Sims franchise started with Sims 1 and then Sims 2, 3, and 4. And they were seen as replacements for the previous products,” she said. “What we’re really working with our community on is this a new era of The Sims. We are not going to be working on replacements of previous projects; we’re only going to be adding to our universe. With that, you’ll see there are more ways to experience The Sims on different platforms, different ways to play, transmedia, and lots of great offerings within this universe. So absolutely, we’re still continuing to support The Sims 4 more than ever. Still continue to deliver expansion packs and updates and fixes. But what this is to say is, the way we’re going to do things going forward is a little different. And it’s really exciting and it’s really the most expansive iteration of The Sims yet.”

“What this means is that we will continue to bring HD simulation experience and what people would want from a [Sims] 5 — but it doesn’t mean that we’re going to start you over, reset all your progress, and really feel like you’re going to lose all of that amazing play you put into 4,” she added. “I think as we think about the future of it, we want you to continue all of those families and generations. Those creations are your progress, your attachment. We don’t want to reset your progress. And so it’s not about as much of what the numbers are in the games, but know that the future of the franchise looks more like keeping your progress, keeping things across titles, and really having an ongoing experience, and not a start-and-stop experience between products.”

“We intend for Project Rene to be free to download, and that means that when it’s ready and fully open to our players, you’ll be able to join and play and explore Project Rene without a subscription, without core game purchase or energy mechanics,” said vice president of franchise creative at Maxis Lyndsay Pearson.

“We want it to be easy for you to invite or join with a friend, and that means extending an open invitation for everyone to play.”

Pearson goes on to warn players that, at launch, Project Rene won’t be as feature rich as The Sims 4 eventually became thanks to the release of several updates and expansions since the title’s original release. However, Pearson reaffirms that the game will be worked on, and over time, will also get new content and experiences. Project Rene will also make features that older games in the franchise have featured as expansions as core features of the game.

“Well, beyond regular updates to the core game, we will sell content and packs, but we want to change that mix a little bit,” says Pearson. “So, let me give you a theoretical example. In The Sims 4, the only way to experience any weather was if you purchased seasons. Now, in Project Rene, we might introduce basic weather to the core game for free for everybody. And then a pack for purchase might be focused on winter sports and could include activities like ice dancing or a snowman-building competition.”

Pearson also goes on to reveal that Project Rene and The Sims 4 will exist side by side even once the in-development project is released as The Sims 5.

“Project Rene and The Sims 4 are going to continue to exist side by side,” explains Pearson. “We plan to support both at the same time, and we’re going to continue to bring even more exciting content to The Sims 4 for the foreseeable future.”

The Sims 5 doesn’t yet have a solid release date, but more details for the game are slated to be revealed in 2024. EA and Maxis have also previously stated that they want to release The Sims 5 on as many platforms as possible.

The listing, for the open position of Head of Monetization and Marketplace for Project Rene, was spotted by Sims Community, and has since been taken down. Under the responsibilities section, the listing described the title as a “free-to-enter” game, which means the game could be free-to-play at the outset, while also offering purchasable additional content.

Meanwhile, the job listing also made mention of “Project Rene’s in-game marketplace”, which will seemingly include content both user-generated and otherwise, with both free and paid options being available to players.

Given the sort of ongoing live service model The Sims tends to follow, it wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest to see it switching to a free-to-play mode (or free-to-enter, as EA calls it), though as is the case with any such game, how monetization is balanced will be crucial. That is, of course, if these plans are solidified, which they don’t necessarily have to be at this stage.

Recently, EA and Maxis also released details on some of the new customization options and lighting features that will be included in The Sims 5. Head on over here to find out more.

The video showcased prototype scenes, and developers spoke about making use of various tools and techniques, such as lighting and animations, to help make the world of The Sims 5 come alive. The studio is working on new lighting technologies that will bring more customisation options to the game.

The video also talks about the new socialisation systems in The Sims 5, with a complete overhaul planned for the game to help players better understand what their sims are talking about.

The Sims 5 was first unveiled as Project Rene back in 2022. While not too many details on the game were announced at the time, the studio did tease us about some of the customisation features that players wi ll have access to in the new title.

The game is currently still early in development, and we will likely see more details revealed as its development cycle continues.