Fans Shouldn’t Hold Their Breath for The Sims 5

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Fans Shouldn't Hold Their Breath for The Sims 5

Key Takeaways

  • EA has confirmed it has no plans to make The Sims 5.
  • The company is instead choosing to focus on continuing to update The Sims 4 in an effort to bring it in line with what fans might expect from a brand-new sequel.
  • The other part of EA’s current plan for the franchise is to keep working on the mysterious Project Rene, which will get a new invite-only playtest in fall 2024.

As a dedicated Sims enthusiast with decades of virtual living under my belt, I must admit that EA’s recent announcement has left me feeling a bit like one of my Sims after a long night out – a mix of disappointment and confusion. The idea of no The Sims 5 is hard to swallow, but as a seasoned player, I understand the importance of evolution over revolution.

As a devoted admirer, I’m sharing some exciting news: Contrary to speculations, it appears Electronic Arts isn’t currently working on The Sims 5. Instead, they’re pouring their energy into expanding The Sims 4 and unraveling the enigma surrounding Project Rene.

Although a fifth installment in the franchise isn’t currently on EA’s agenda, it doesn’t mean they never contemplated or worked on it. On the contrary, a former character artist at EA has recently asserted that The Sims 5 was once under development but ultimately got scrapped, as early as 2024.

The Sims 5 Isn’t Happening, EA Says

Despite doubts about that story, it’s clear that Electronic Arts (EA) isn’t currently planning to release the fifth numbered installment in the series. This information comes from a recent report by Variety, which quotes Kate Gorman, EA’s VP and manager of The Sims franchise. According to the executive, EA is hesitant about starting anew with a potential new series entry. Instead, they seem to prefer focusing on creating more content for The Sims 4, a game that has amassed over 80 million players throughout its lifetime, which appears to be a safer choice for EA.

EA Teases ‘New Era’ of The Sims Franchise

A significant aspect of their upcoming decisions revolves around the observation that each previous Sims sequel essentially replaced its predecessor, which EA aims to change in the future. Instead of producing replacements, they are now focusing on expanding their universe. This new approach is considered a fresh era for the franchise by the company’s leadership. Part of this strategy includes continuing to develop downloadable content (DLC) for The Sims 4, such as the recently announced Life and Death expansion pack, with EA planning to support the game more extensively than before. Another key component of their current plan is Project Rene, a multi-platform project that the company has been developing for several years.

Instead of focusing on replacing old projects, we’ll solely concentrate on expanding our existing cosmos.

Although fans may not anticipate the immediate release of The Sims 5, Electronic Arts intends to make future updates for the game incrementally align with what players might experience in a brand-new installment of the series. This strategy aims to consistently offer innovation without requiring fans to begin anew. As Gorman stated, “We don’t want to wipe out your progress.

From recent job postings, it appears that the Sims team has been engaged in a project named “Project Dolores,” though whether this is related to the rumored cancellation of The Sims 5 remains uncertain. On the other hand, EA’s September 17 blog post hinted at “Project Rene,” a game set for release on various platforms including PC, consoles, and mobile devices, with plans for an exclusive playtest in fall 2024.

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2024-09-17 20:06