Get ready to make your Sims characters perform more wacky and borderline crazy antics in EA’s upcoming franchise entry – The Sims 5.
After a much-bated breath, an official The Sims 5 announcement has dropped. The Behind The Sims Summit shares a first look at Sims 5 innovation, and most importantly, the next iteration of The Sims, which is being hailed as The Sims: Project Rene. Rene has been chosen specifically for its connection to renewal, renaissance, and rebirth.
Scroll down for more Project Rene facts and Check out the full video below.
The Sims have been around since the start of the millennium back in 2000. They even had their own reality TV show – so any revelations surrounding The Sims 5 or hype for a non-existent Sims 5 trailer are not completely unexpected.
Given the mass appeal, Electronic Arts (EA) has continued working on the franchise and dropped a major bombshell late in April 2021. What happened? Well, official news of The Sims 5 was revealed in this interview with Laura Miele, the Chief Studio Officer at EA.
What do you SIM-ply have to know?
As soon as Laura confirmed that The Sims 5 was in development, millions of 5 Sim fans worldwide were immediately abuzz with excitement. And for good reason.
The Sims 4 launched all the way back in 2014, and while it has enjoyed several updates and expansion packs, including the Sims 4 update February 15 2022, Sims 4 update March 2022, Sims 4 update April 1 2022, as well as a mobile version of the game in the subsequent years that followed, fans of The Sims had been waiting with bated breath for something juicier for a long, long while.
According to both official and fan-based sources so far, The Sims 5 will carry on its legacy of being a safe space that enables people to freely create their own world – whether that be by designing a thriving, impeccable metropolis, or by burning everyone and everything to the ground.
It’s whatever floats your Sims characters boat really, we’re not judging. We all have a tiny authoritarian Sims PS5 inside of us.
Although EA has remained quite tight-lipped on any developments, the main point is that The Sims 5 will evolve at a standard similar to all its predecessors. For starters, the graphics and character designs will be polished, plus character and building features will be expanded.
The key focus in the new game is to hone in on our experiences relating to our characters, bringing further enhancements to animations and life events. Players will also experience more freedom in decorating and customising the characters.
Based on these tidbits, it seems nothing will be too shocking for those that have stuck with the world-building franchise. But then again, if you’ve been with The Sims since the beginning, you probably wouldn’t be surprised by much. What initially started out as a simple, dollhouse simulator soon spiralled into an open universe capable of practically anything.
However, there’s just one other thing you should be aware of: for the first time ever in 20 years, The Sims 5 will be multiplayer. This news has sparked considerable debate in the community, to say the least.
sims 5 multiplayer confirmed which basically means if we have problems on twitter we can settle them in Pleasantview with our fists like ADULTS
— vindi | CHESCA (@vindihere) April 30, 2021
The Sims 5, now with friends
When quizzed about the upcoming Sims multiplayer, Miele said:
“I think 20 years later we learned a lot about how players interact, what motivates players, how players can come together co-operatively and so as you imagine as we think about the next generation of The Sims it’s SUPER important for us to have the best tools, the most flexibility and for players to really expand on their creativity, remix items and objects in the world.”
“I think that’s one of our biggest opportunities with The Sims… [it is] is the social connection component that we need to bring to this brand and this franchise. The team is hard at work on the next generation of that experience.”
However, for a game that’s been primarily focused on individual playstyles, rather than co-op, the new multiplayer mode could be heading towards a shaky, uncertain future.
Shareable user-created content could well be a clever way of sidestepping some of these Sims 5 multiplayer issues – allowing players to craft their own worlds, while still having some level of cooperation available to those that want social interaction. Visiting each other’s houses for parties could also be implemented without disrupting the main appeal of the Sims 5.
READ MORE: The 11 best gaming headsets you can buy in 2021
Take your fandom out of the game!
The Sims franchise has built one of the most dedicated audiences of any video game title with many taking their love for it out of the game itself. If you’re looking to showcase how much The Sims has had a positive impact on your life, then you need to look at Custom Stickers.
Custom stickers, magnets, and even featured wall mounts are a trend that is loved by old and new Sims fans alike. We all know that Sims players tirelessly spend hours ensuring that their Sims and the home they live in is perfect in every way and now you can do that to your homes too.
Turn your in-game inspirations into something real. Not only do Custom Stickers have the ability for you to create a unique array of stickers, buttons, and coins, but they can even allow you to create your very own Sim figure! Check them out.
Some of the spoilers for The Sims 5
Now, onto the unofficial Simsy 3 multiplayer stuff. Some of these points were insinuated during the interview, but since very little has been properly ascertained, most info about The Sims 5 is mostly just pure speculation at the moment.
A significant majority of the many theories running wild on the internet surround functions that fans hope will be integrated into the upcoming Sims game, rather than concrete, evidence-based claims. That’s why, although it may be tempting to jump on board and believe the various spoilers, we’d advise you to take in the information with a grain of salt.
To start, Miele also hinted in her interview that there might be a creator marketplace, which will most likely be implemented to capitalise on the new (potentially online) multiplayer mode.
This feature would allow those with a passion for design to create their own cosmetic items for The Sims 5 and then sell them to earn some good ol’ cash. As we mentioned though, this is just another theory, but if it did happen, any revenue earned would most likely be split between the creator and EA.
4Chan also remains a popular destination for uncovering leaks on the game. One particular rumour on the website fanned the flames of the game being showcased in the upcoming 2021 EA Play, which will be held on June 14th.
What’s more, 4Chan also theorised that The Sims 5 would come out in the Australian autumn of 2022.
I really want to see the sims 5 embrace different cultures in the base game! Even different sim languages would be amazing.
— ★ BENJI ★ (@BENJI_UNCHAINED) May 6, 2021
With a large fanbase comes many fan theories, which is why there are millions of ideas regarding the new Sims sequel floating around.
Yet, positive speculation isn’t the only thing surfacing on the net. There’s also been considerable concern raised over the new title, with some voicing their worries over previous editions of the game being abandoned despite needing a desperate fix (looking at you, The Sims 4).
What will a new Sims game look like?
Technological advancements are a huge part of why people look forward to video game sequels so much. The fantasy of our favourite game, looking better than ever, is more than enough to get most fans’ hearts beating a step quicker.
One such fan couldn’t wait for an official The Sims 5 trailer and decided to take matters into their own hands. While the following video is in no way official it is an intriguing look at what a next-gen Sims game could look like. The tech demo was shared by ‘Priymak Elysium’, and reportedly made using Epic’s Unreal Engine 5. Not too shabby if you ask us.
Since The Sims 5 is still in its early stages, we’ll continually update this post as soon as we get the details.
Pronoun options in The Sims 5
An online petition for trans and non-binary pronouns to be included in The Sims 4 has attracted over 20 000 signatures. Considering Maxis’ past behaviour it seems perfectly possible they will give these fans what they want in The Sims 5. At the end of the day, these games are all about giving players options. What about Sims for Nintendo Switch?
Can you play Sims on Nintendo Switch? While you’re waiting for The Sims 5, The Sims 3 and The Sims 4 are both currently available as part of Xbox Game Pass; find out more here. Unfortunately, The Sims 4 Switch version doesn’t currently exist, and a Sims 4 Nintendo Switch release date hasn’t been announced yet, though The Sims Nintendo Switch seems like a match made in heaven, for both the game and a themed console.
Update: After months of rumours, it has been officially announced that The Sims 4 will be getting diverse and inclusive pronoun options. Developer Maxis teamed up with It Gets Better and GLAAD to give players more in-game freedom for how their Sims relate to gender and identity.
The Customizable Pronouns Update for The Sims 4 is HERE!https://t.co/gUS4mU217D
— Sims Community (@TheSimCommunity) May 24, 2022
Speaking with IGN, The Sims 4 executive producer Phill Ring explained they won’t get everything right immediately:
“So we are going to be focused as well, if things do evolve. Maybe there’s certain languages that have one set of pronouns as gender neutral ones, but then actually that changes, that evolves as language does, and we’ll be looking to update. This is a thing that we’re going to be continually looking at and seeing the best ways to evolve as we move forward.”
Needless to say, this suggests The Sims 5 will have many options when it comes to gender pronouns, and will try to use inclusive language where possible. Which is just one more thing to look forward to!
The Sims 5 rumoured consoles
While Maxis haven’t confirmed which consoles The Sims 5 will be released on, the projected release timeframe suggests a few which it won’t be. The Sims 4 is currently available on PS4, Xbox One, PC and Mac.
It seems unlikely that Maxis will make The Sims 5 an exclusive for either PlayStation or Microsoft. However, considering that the game is still a few years away, it probably will be a next-gen title (current-gen?). Therefore, expect The Sims 5 release date to come to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Mac when it does release.
In lastest news Footage of a new project showcased by EA during a stream this week may be our first glimpse into The Sims 5 game.
EA hosted a ‘Behind The Sims Summit’ stream on Tuesday (October 18), to commemorate 22 years since the cult-favourite life simulation game, The Sims, was launched.
At some point throughout the stream, The team behind The Sims 4 announced ‘Project Rene’, which reportedly provides a glimpse into what gamers can expect from the next generation of The Sims franchise.
While the forthcoming installment, The Sims 5 wasn’t mentioned by name, it’s been deemed likely by many sources that ‘Project Rene’ is being used as somewhat of a code name for the impending game, as it is merely a very early look that is subject to significant change.
Streamers of the event got a first-hand look at a totally revamped build-and-buy system, as well as the addition of new, high-level customisation options. Moreover, the demo showcased a new color wheel and patterns, in replacement of former pre-selected color designs and samples.
And finally, The Sims 4 team also presented new interface looks, which elevate the overall realism of the simulation game. To conclude, they also demonstrated tests for upcoming library-sharing features and cross-platform gaming.
In even more The Sims news, the latest instalment of the game, The Sims 4, is now available for free download across all platforms. As announced by EA in September, it will remain permanently free to install on both PC and Mac through the EA app, as well as on the following consoles: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X.
