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Any news around The Sims 5 release date speculation has been in demand since EA first announced Project Rene a couple of years ago.
Now we know The Sims 5 is not happening, we can turn our attention to Project Rene and sift through the newest rumors circulating, including alleged multiplayer and crossplay, as well as analyzing the potential platforms for the game.
Key Takeaways
- Sims 5 is not happening; instead, the franchise will move away from linear releases, with the first phase being Project Rene.
- Project Rene will coexist alongside The Sims 4, meaning players won’t lose the people and worlds they have created.
- For the first time in The Sims series, multiplayer elements will be a focus allowing collaboration and sharing with friends.
- Expanded customization options will offer unprecedented control over furniture design and placement.
- EA has emphasized its commitment to supporting The Sims 4.
What Is The Sims 5?
To quickly bring everyone up to speed on The Sims. It’s a game franchise developed by Maxis and published by EA. It has become a cultural phenomenon selling over 200 million copies since launching in 2000.
The series allows players to create and control virtual characters, build homes, and manage every aspect of their character’s lives in a sandbox environment.
While there have been numerous expansion packs, there have been four main entries in the series, with The Sims 4 being the most recent launch in 2014.
The next step in this journey was thought to be The Sims 5, but recent developments have revealed that the publishers are going in a different direction with the franchise, namely Project Rene.
Fans have been aware of Project Rene for some time, but the prevailing wisdom was that this was merely the working name for the next installment in the series.
EA has since clarified that Project Rene is the start of The Sims franchise moving beyond linear, sequential game releases. Therefore, instead of replacing The Sims 4 with The Sims 5, Project Rene will exist alongside it. Through various statements, EA has explained that it has taken cues from its community that players don’t want to start again with a new game and lose what they have built on The Sims 4.
Therefore, the direction they have landed on is a multiplayer experience. This will allow players to play with their friends and share what they have built in their own personalized worlds.
As EA explained in an official post, Project Rene is focused on building ways for friends to meet, connect, and share while playing together in an all-new world.
A multiplayer experience within The Sims universe seems to be the goal for Project Rene. One that uses The Sims 4 as a foundation into this next iteration, meaning the 2014 game remains relevant for the foreseeable future.
In the first episode of the Behind The Sims series, game director Grant Rodiek confirmed that Project Rene is introducing multiplayer game elements to The Sims for the first time. While Project Rene is not an MMO, it will be possible to invite friends to play alongside you.
While PC and mobile versions of Project Rene will be compatible, they are not identical. The PC version will be designed for players looking to utilize the full range of customization options within Project Rene, whereas the mobile version affords players more freedom to play within the same world but on the go.
As for the name, in the video below, VP of franchise creative for The Sims, Lyndsay Pearson, explains that the name was chosen because it is reminiscent of words like renewal, renaissance, and rebirth. This represents EA’s renewed commitment to The Sims, while also “ushering in a new future for The Sims with a new game experience.”
Is The Sims 5 Canceled?
‘The Sims 5 canceled’ may be the headline, but it’s not strictly true as The Sims 5 was never officially confirmed by EA as a game in development.
What is clear is that EA is not currently working on a brand-new installment in the franchise. Instead, they are opting for a multiplayer title, which brings a social, multiplayer environment to the world of The Sims.
This is perhaps a letdown for some fans wanting and expecting a new game. However, fully backing The Sims 4 in the years to come will also please many who have spent up to 10 years playing and curating their worlds on The Sims 4 and may have been reluctant to start again from scratch.
Rather than continuing in the same direction with the same format, only a newer version, EA will instead look to build out and modernize the current ecosystem and offer players a greater variety of options.
When Was The Sims 5 Release Date Supposed to Be?
Speculation around The Sims 5 release date never really got beyond predictions of sometime in 2026.
As Project Rene is currently engaging in playtests, 2026 still seems the best bet. During Behind The Sims – Episode One, which came out nearly two years ago, a member of the team said this was the start of a long journey with a launch still years away.
Project Rene Gameplay & Features
Early playtests have highlighted an expanded customization system, offering players unprecedented control over the design and placement of furniture.
Items such as rugs, sofas, pillows, and throws can now be arranged at various angles and positions, creating more realistic and personalized living spaces. Individual furniture pieces can also be customized with multiple patterns, colors, and materials, allowing for a truly unique and tailored gaming experience.
Another significant development in The Sims Project Rene is the inclusion of artificial intelligence, promising to make Sims smarter and more autonomous. This enhancement aims to deepen the simulation experience by allowing Sims to exhibit more complex behaviors and emotions, reducing the need for player intervention.
One of the most anticipated features of Project Rene is its cross-platform compatibility. Players will be able to switch between playing on a PC and a mobile device, continuing their game from where they left off.
This level of integration marks a significant advancement in the series, aiming to provide a consistent and flexible gaming experience across different devices.
Early playtests offer players the option to manipulate patterns, colors, materials, and even the shapes of objects, indicating a more detailed and personalized gameplay experience.
However, the game is still in its early stages, and many features are subject to change as development progresses.
Pearson said the company has never shared a future release so far out from launch but added: “We’ll share in-progress work, explorations, sneak peeks, and behind-the-scenes content.”
One thing that does stand out in the development process so far is Maxis’s commitment to iterative development alongside players and valuing direct player feedback as a critical innovation tool.
Grant Rodiek, Game Director, highlights the complexities of testing Project Rene, saying: “One of the challenging things about testing is that it is a highly customizable experience with a high degree of interactivity.”
“This is how the best games are made — working hand-in-hand with players.”
Project Rene Platforms
According to the Behind the Sims blog post, the Sims team has stated that the current playtest version of Project Rene “has been tested on PC and Mobile.” That means that it should be available on these platforms as standard at release.
“With Project Rene, you’ll be able to play on a PC, put it down, and pick up right where you left off on a mobile device.”
Will Project Rene Be Free to Play?
Project Rene is rumored to be a free-to-play Sims title with core gameplay updates available at no additional cost. However, players can expect additional paid content packs that are similar to previous Sims titles.
Predictably, this has sparked considerable dissatisfaction among some quarters of its fanbase due to concerns over potential technical issues and EA’s monetization strategies.
Despite this, the life simulation genre is seeing increased competition, with several promising alternatives on the horizon. Most notably, games like Paralives and LifeByYou are gaining attention for their gameplay and customization options.
Paralives is praised for its cozy and detailed character design, while LifeByYou, developed by Paradox Interactive, offers an open-world experience that appeals to fans of complex simulations.
Other contenders, such as InZoi and Vivaland, are also generating interest, indicating a future for life simulation games beyond the Sims franchise.
The Bottom Line
While The Sims 5 is not happening, fans will still have something new to look forward to along the 2026 timeline.
By incorporating advanced AI, cross-platform compatibility, and multiplayer dynamics, Project Rene aims to modernize the Sims franchise while retaining the core aspects that have made it beloved.
