A video that has surfaced online, purportedly showcasing the next installment of The Sims, has sparked a wave of concern among the franchise's dedicated fanbase. The footage, believed to be from a game tentatively titled "City Life Game With Friends," has led many to speculate that this could be the eagerly anticipated The Sims 5, despite Electronic Arts (EA) clarifying that the project, known as Project Rene, is a separate spin-off.
The 20-minute video features a player navigating through various text prompts to customize their character's appearance and activities before entering a vibrant area called Plaza de Poupon. Here, the player engages in everyday activities such as purchasing food and socializing, eventually heading to work at an outdoor café. The presence of characters referred to as Sims, speaking in the iconic Simlish language, and sporting the series' signature Plumbob, further fuels 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?" expressed one dissatisfied player on The Sims' subreddit in a post titled "I think Project Rene is a red flag (I hope not)," which 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 fan 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," 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 [sic] satire about capitalist suburban consumption-as-happiness... And this is where the Sims ended up. Endless consumption-as-happiness," another fan remarked.
Project Rene, first teased in 2022 during a Behind the Sims Summit, is a free-to-play game that introduces multiplayer elements inspired by games like Animal Crossing and Among Us. Although not officially revealed or dated for release, EA has been conducting small, invite-only playtests since its announcement. The recent leaks are believed to stem from one such playtest. The name "Rene" is symbolic, reflecting themes of "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," underscoring EA's commitment to revitalizing the Sims franchise.
Last October, leaked images from a closed online test of Project Rene drew criticism for its art style, limited features, and reliance on microtransactions. The inclusion of a café in the game drew particular scrutiny due to its similarities to 2018's The Sims Mobile. In response, EA clarified that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but a distinct "cosy, social game" within the Sims universe.
Meanwhile, fans of The Sims 4 have seen the return of a beloved character, The Burglar, in the latest update, rekindling nostalgia for the series' earlier iterations.
