EA's New Sims Concept Leaks Online, Fans Unhappy

A video purportedly showcasing the next installment of The Sims has surfaced online, sparking concern among fans about the future direction of the beloved franchise.

Project Rene, sometimes referred to as The Sims 5, though EA insists it is a separate spin-off project, has been in the works for several years. However, leaked early access footage of a game titled "City Life Game With Friends" has led many to speculate that this could be the next Sims title.

The video itself spans a full 20 minutes and depicts a player navigating through text prompts to customize their character's outfit, hair, watch, and activities. The gameplay then transitions to the player's Sim entering a sunlit Plaza de Poupon, where they purchase food and interact with other Sims. The character later heads to work at an outdoor café.

Throughout the playtest, characters are referred to as Sims, speak in Simlish, and feature the iconic Plumbob, further fueling speculation about its connection to the Sims series.

"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?" one dissatisfied player commented on The Sims' subreddit in a post titled "I think Project Rene is a red flag (I hope not)," which has 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 player remarked. "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," a fan suggested. "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 literal satire about capitalist suburban consumption-as-happiness... And this is where the Sims ended up. Endless consumption-as-happiness," another fan observed.

Project Rene — initially thought to be The Sims 5 until EA clarified otherwise — was first teased in 2022 during a Behind the Sims Summit. It is described as a free-to-play game with multiplayer elements inspired by Animal Crossing and Among Us. While no formal reveal or release date has been announced, EA has conducted small, invite-only playtests since its initial announcement, with the latest presumably resulting in these leaks.

The name "Rene" is chosen to evoke concepts of "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," symbolizing the developers' commitment to a vibrant future for the Sims series.

Last October, images of Project Rene leaked from a closed online test, leading to criticism regarding its art style, limited features, and the use of microtransactions. The addition of a café drew particular scrutiny due to its similarities to The Sims Mobile from 2018. Following the leak, EA reiterated that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but a different "cosy, social game" within The Sims franchise.

It's worth noting that the familiar character The Burglar made a return in the latest update for The Sims 4, bringing back memories for longtime fans of the series.