EA's New Sims Concept Leaks Online, Fans Unhappy

A video purportedly showcasing the next iteration of The Sims has surfaced online, sparking concern among fans about the future direction of this beloved franchise. Dubbed Project Rene, which is sometimes mistakenly referred to as The Sims 5, although EA clarifies it's a separate spin-off, this project has been in discussion for years. Recent early access footage from a game titled "City Life Game With Friends" has led many to speculate that this might be the next big installment in The Sims series.

The leaked video, lasting a full 20 minutes, features a player navigating through various text prompts to customize their character's appearance and activities. The gameplay then transitions to a sunlit Plaza de Poupon, where the player engages in buying food and socializing with other characters. The video also shows the player heading to work at an outdoor café. Throughout the footage, characters are referred to as Sims, communicate in Simlish, and sport the iconic Plumbob, further fueling the speculation that this is indeed a new Sims game.

"EA clearly wants to kill off traditional Sims games and push players towards a mobile-style experience. In their view, a reboot means exactly this — at least that’s what I think," the player added, voicing a common concern among the community.

"This is not going to be for me, I can tell already," commented another. "It just seems so basic and I don't want to play The Sims on my phone."

"The interesting thing is, creating a PC/mobile cross-compatible Sims game isn't a bad idea," suggested a fan. "However, EA seems to believe that mobile games must look outdated. They're following design trends from the past decade, which makes the game appear dated even before its release."

"The way The Sims satirized capitalist suburban consumption-as-happiness... and now the series has evolved into endless consumption-as-happiness," reflected another.

Project Rene, initially speculated to be The Sims 5 until EA clarified otherwise, was first hinted at in 2022 during a Behind the Sims Summit. This free-to-play game incorporates multiplayer elements inspired by Animal Crossing and Among Us. Although it hasn't been officially unveiled or given a release date, EA has been conducting small, invite-only playtests since its announcement, which likely led to these recent leaks.

The name Rene was selected to evoke concepts like "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," symbolizing the developers' commitment to a vibrant future for The Sims.

However, last October, leaked images from a closed online test of Project Rene prompted criticism regarding its art style, limited features, and the inclusion of microtransactions. The addition of a café particularly drew skepticism due to its similarities to 2018's The Sims Mobile. It was at this point that EA emphasized that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but rather a distinct "cozy, social game" under The Sims franchise.

In a nostalgic touch, fans of the series were reminded of The Burglar, a character from the older Sims games, who made a return in the latest update for The Sims 4.