EA's New Sims Concept Leaks Online, Fans React Negatively

A video allegedly from the next installment of The Sims has surfaced online, sparking concerns among fans about the future direction of the beloved series. Known as Project Rene, which is sometimes confused with The Sims 5 but officially described by EA as a spin-off, this project has been in the works for several years. The recent leak, titled "City Life Game With Friends," has led many to speculate that this could be the next evolution of The Sims.

The leaked video, lasting 20 minutes, features a player navigating through text prompts to customize their character's outfit, hair, watch, and activities before entering a vibrant Plaza de Poupon. There, the character engages in typical Sims activities such as purchasing food and socializing, and eventually heads to work at an outdoor café. The presence of characters referred to as Sims, speaking in Simlish, and the iconic Plumbob clearly ties the footage to The Sims universe.

"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?" voiced one disappointed fan on The Sims' subreddit in a highly upvoted post titled "I think Project Rene is a redflag (I hope not)."

"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," commented another. "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," noted 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," reflected another.

Initially teased in 2022 during a Behind the Sims Summit, Project Rene was described 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. The name "Rene" reflects themes of "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," symbolizing the developers' commitment to a vibrant future for The Sims.

Last October, images from Project Rene leaked during a closed online test, leading to criticism regarding the art style, limited features, and the inclusion of microtransactions. The addition of a café, reminiscent of 2018's The Sims Mobile, drew particular skepticism. In response, EA clarified that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but a distinct "cosy, social game" within The Sims franchise.

Meanwhile, fans of the series were delighted to see The Burglar return in the latest update for The Sims 4, bringing back a nostalgic element from the older games.