The Sims has always been one of EA’s most recognizable franchises, a life-simulation juggernaut that has defined a genre for nearly 25 years. But with the long-awaited Project Rene shifting identities over the years, first teased as the next big Sims installment, then rebranded as something more like a spin-off, fans are left wondering what the future of the series really looks like. For now, EA and developer Maxis appear intent on continuing to make The Sims 4 the centerpiece of the franchise.
The Sims 4 has been carrying the torch for The Sims franchise for over a decade now, and fans of the latest installment don’t need to worry about losing years of gameplay to a new mainline title. However, while the focus on The Sims 4 may satisfy short-term goals for both the player and its developer, it also highlights a deeper issue. The Sims 5, at least in name, seems dead and buried. That move might be strategic, but it feels more like a temporary fix than a proper solution.
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Project Rene’s Evolving Identity: Moving Away from The Sims 5
When Project Rene was first announced, many assumed it was simply The Sims 5 under another name. There was a lot of speculation that the name was chosen because The Sims 5 was still in its early stages of development, but fans were still excited to look ahead to the future. The new features certainly merited the belief that it was a sequel. The reveal highlighted a more collaborative, online Sims experience in Project Rene with modernized systems that hinted at a reinvention of the franchise.
But in the years since, EA has been careful to move away from Project Rene as a full sequel. It's actually steered away from any conversation surrounding a successor to The Sims 4. Recently, it was confirmed that The Sims 5 was not in development in favor of optimizing The Sims 4.
Now, The Sims 4 continues to be expanded with kits, packs, and updates that keep the game alive. The Sims 4's new fairy-themed Expansion Pack was added just last month, for example. But that continuous line of updates leaves Project Rene in an awkward space. It’s a bold move, but it lacks the same level of hype and anticipation as a numbered entry, especially since the studio is still focused on a related but established game.
The Logic Behind Holding Back
The Sims 4's tenth anniversary proves the game has been running strong for a long time, bolstered by a steady stream of DLC and a thriving player community. EA has stated that it is honoring the player retention the game has experienced throughout the years, not only because the game has a large fanbase, but also because so much content has already been purchased by fans. And when isolating that reason, the logic makes perfect sense. Releasing The Sims 5 now would risk alienating that investment and potentially fracturing the player base.
Keeping the game alive with new content for The Sims 4 ensures stability. Players who’ve spent hundreds of dollars on expansions don’t feel left behind, and EA can continue to capitalize on an ecosystem it knows works. Project Rene, meanwhile, offers an avenue for experimentation without directly disrupting the core game. While sound and cautious, there’s a problem brewing underneath this seemingly stable solution.
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Keeping Faithful to The Sims 4 is a Long-Term Problem in Disguise
The problem is that this approach can’t last forever. Eventually, the weight of a decade-old game will start to show mechanically, no matter how many updates or expansions are released. And despite The Sims 4’s cartoonish art style, the game’s age will begin to show graphically as well.
There’s also the fact that a fanbase cannot stay stagnant forever. Players will inevitably crave the excitement of a true sequel, something that resets the stage with new ideas and mechanics rather than continuing to layer content onto an aging foundation. And with life-simulation titles that get increasingly competitive as the years go by, The Sims’ crown may be up for the taking.
If EA ever does greenlight a Sims 5, it risks undermining the very retention strategy it has leaned on for years. The release of a new numbered entry would immediately make years of expansions and kits for The Sims 4 feel disposable, an outcome that could leave longtime fans frustrated if they trusted EA’s initial strategy. On the other hand, refusing to release a Sims 5 entirely would cement the perception that the series is stagnant, unwilling to evolve beyond its current form. It’s a lose-lose scenario unless EA can find a way to thread the needle.
The Sims Franchise is at a Crossroads
What complicates matters even more is how invested the Sims community is in the franchise’s future. Fans aren’t just passive players; they’re builders, storytellers, and modders who have shaped The Sims into a proper gaming phenomenon. When EA withholds clarity about where the future of The Sims is headed, it feeds fan uncertainty about whether the franchise can move forward in any capacity.
Project Rene may yet prove to be the fresh take the series needs. But without the security of a Sims 5 on the horizon, the current strategy feels like a band-aid covering a much larger wound. At some point, Maxis and EA will need to decide whether to double down on The Sims 4 indefinitely or leap into a new era with The Sims 5. Either path comes with risks. But doing nothing may prove to be the riskiest move of all.
The Sims 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 70 /100 Critics Rec: 26%
- Released
- September 2, 2014
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Maxis
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
WHERE TO PLAY
Unleash your imagination and create a unique world of Sims that’s an expression of you. Download for free, and customize every detail from Sims to homes and much more. Choose how Sims look, act, and dress, then decide how they’ll live out each day. Design and build incredible homes for every family, then decorate with your favorite furnishings and décor. Travel to different neighborhoods where you can meet other Sims and learn about their lives. Discover beautiful locations with distinctive environments and go on spontaneous adventures. Manage the ups and downs of Sims’ everyday lives, and see what happens when you play out scenarios from your own real life. Tell your stories your way while developing relationships, pursuing careers and life aspirations, and immersing yourself in this extraordinary game, where the possibilities are endless
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
