Electronic Arts and Maxis have announced that Project Rene, the next entry in The Sims franchise, is evolving into a mobile-first social multiplayer game. This development emphasizes collaboration among friends while assuring fans that single-player experiences remain central to the series. The project is not intended as The Sims 5 but as a complement to existing titles like The Sims 4.
In a new year blog post, EA and Maxis detailed the direction of Project Rene, originally announced in 2022 and initially thought to be The Sims 5. The companies explained that the game has shifted to prioritize social multiplayer elements, described as a "mobile-first life-sim game" focused on collaboration. As stated in the post, "Project Rene has evolved to focus on social multiplayer play, offering a more direct way for friends to share creativity together."
This change builds on earlier discussions from 2023, when multiplayer ideas surfaced, drawing potential inspiration from titles like Animal Crossing and Among Us. Despite the multiplayer emphasis, Maxis reaffirmed the franchise's foundational principles. The blog post noted: "At its core, The Sims was built on a deep, single-player life simulation, chock full of rich systems, meaningful storytelling, and player agency that puts you in control. That foundation isn't going anywhere."
The announcement comes amid recent fan concerns over EA's $55 billion acquisition by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, with the Sims team earlier this month pledging no changes to their core values. Project Rene is positioned to coexist with The Sims 4, released in 2014, and any future single-player games. Separately, a Sims movie is in development outside of gaming.
This evolution reflects broader trends in social gaming while aiming to preserve the series' legacy of personal storytelling.
