EA and Maxis confirmed last year that The Sims 5 was in development under the name Project Rene, and while it remains to be seen how long it will be before the game gets formally unveiled, it seems a crucial detail about it may have been let slip in a recently published job ad.
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.