All the game-changing news we’ve got about The Sims 5 so far

Soo Soo! From the game being free to download to multiplayer across multiple devices, here’s everything we know about the newest Sims game, The Sims 5.

I am a self-proclaimed Sims lover, which means every three months I remember the game exists and play obsessively for a month solid whilst ruining my sleep schedule. As such I am insanely excited about The Sims 5 and am following every little tidbit of information I can find.

The Sims have genuinely never looked so expressive

Whilst there is no release date for The Sims 5, or Project Rene as EA calls it, we were first treated to prototype footage back in June. Also side note, but does the name Project Rene remind anyone else of that cursed CGI Renesmee from Twilight?

The real revelations here are the Sims themselves. The devs say they’re putting a greater emphasis on animations to communicate your Sims’ states of mind. “Our vision for animation is driven by the phrase ‘read the room,’ which means we want players to know how our Sims feel and what they’re thinking just by how they behave,” animation director Nawwaf says.

If your Sim is listening to Phoebe Bridgers on repeat they’re probably depressed.

On that point, the devs are trying out a UI-light approach. “Right now, we’re actually experimenting with how little can we get away with,” producer Jill explains. “We’re really leaning into just clear, playful, simple visuals that’ll start giving us a feel for how much information is too much, too little, what’s working, so we can really better hone in that sweet spot to help you better understand what your Sims are actually talking about.”

We also get a bit of talk about the new Sims pathfinding model, including some intriguing looks at a prototype that shows a bunch of figures wandering around an open neighbourhood. The prototype is genuinely the funniest thing I’ve ever seen, it’s giving Numberjacks genuinely.

Art and visual effect director Stu notes that your Sims will “exist in a broader neighbourhood full of Sims,” and that these neighbours will have their own schedules and routines as they wander around the neighbourhood. Praying we have actual buildings and not just rabbit holes this time around.

Free to download which could be code for microtransactions

Shortly after this release, a job listing at EA gave away that The Sims 5 will adopt a free-to-play model as soon as it releases, unlike The Sims 4 which only went free to play less than a year ago.

Lyndsey Pearson, The Sims’ vice president of franchise creative, has since admitted this in another Behind the Sims video, although she specifically describes it as “free to download.”

“We intend for Project Rene to be a free download, and that means that when it’s ready and fully open to our players, you’ll be able to join and play and explore Project Rene without a subscription, without core game purchase or energy mechanics.”

I’m sorry but this does smell of microtransactions a bit.

This is so the game is much easier for everyone to access and play with each other, but Lyndsey admits that it won’t start with everything currently present in The Sims 4.

However, Lyndsey says the team is aiming to create “something strong and cohesive from the start” and that there’ll be a mixture of free updates and paid DLC to expand The Sims 5.

“We will sell content and packs, but we want to change that mix a little bit, in The Sims 4, the only way to experience any weather was if you purchased seasons. Now, in Project Rene, we might introduce basic weather to the core game free for everybody. And then a pack for purchase might be focused on winter sports… It’s important for us to lower those barriers to play and give everyone the broadest shared systems because that feels like the best foundation to grow from.”

It’s got multiplayer so you can force your gamer bf to play with you

Multiplayer appears to be a big focus of Project Rene, with developer Maxis eager to ensure there are as few barriers as possible preventing friends from playing the game together. EA also makes clear how accessible Project Rene is with the team wanting to “make it super easy for your friends to come and join you” with the game being available to “play with friends across devices.”

If I can play this game on my mobile I’m afraid my social life will officially be out the window.

But don’t worry, The Sims 4 isn’t going anywhere!

Lyndsey wasn’t able to go into too much detail on multiplayer, but what she could say was that the new game won’t replace The Sims 4 and the two will coexist.

In fact, The Sims 4 will still receive new content such as DLC and stuff packs even after Project Rene launches. With The Sims 5, the studio wants to do things “The Sims hasn’t ever done” but also “try to do familiar things in a new way.” Project Rene “will be a new way to play The Sims.”

As long as there are no microtransactions and Bella Goth gets to slay I’ll be happy.

For all the latest Sims 4 leaks and gaming news, memes and updates follow The Holy Church of Gaming on Facebook. 

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