Sims 5 Leak Sparks Fan Backlash

A video claiming to be from the next entry in The Sims series has surfaced online, sparking concerns among fans about the franchise's future direction.

Project Rene—often referred to as The Sims 5, though EA insists it's a separate spin-off—has been in development for years. Recently, early access footage of a game called "City Life Game With Friends" has led many to speculate that this could indeed be the next installment.

The video, which runs 20 minutes long, follows a player navigating text prompts to choose outfits, hairstyles, accessories, and activities. The player then appears in a sunlit Plaza de Poupon, purchasing food and interacting with locals before heading to work at an outdoor café.

Throughout the playtest, characters are referred to as Sims, speak Simlish, and are marked by the iconic Plumbob symbol.

"I'm really disappointed by Project Rene. Yes, EA says 'this is not the final version,' but is this even serious?" commented one frustrated player in a widely upvoted post on The Sims subreddit titled "I think Project Rene is a red flag (I hope not)."

"EA seems determined to abandon traditional Sims games in favor of a mobile-style experience. To them, a reboot apparently means this—at least that's my interpretation."

"I can already tell this isn't for me," wrote another. "It looks way too simplistic, and I don’t want to play The Sims on my phone."

"Ironically, a PC and mobile cross-compatible Sims game isn't a bad idea," pointed out one fan. "But EA seems convinced that mobile games have to be visually unappealing. They're adopting design trends from the last ten years, but the result already looks outdated—and it's not even released."

"The Sims used to cleverly satirize capitalist consumer culture as a source of happiness," added another. "Now it seems the series has fully embraced endless consumption as its core theme."

First revealed during the 2022 Behind The Sims Summit, Project Rene—once rumored to be The Sims 5 before EA clarified—is a free-to-play experience featuring multiplayer elements inspired by Animal Crossing and Among Us. Though not officially announced or dated, EA has conducted invitation-only playtests, which likely led to the recent leaks.

The name "Rene" was chosen to reflect concepts like "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," symbolizing the developers' renewed dedication to The Sims' evolving future.

Last October, however, images from Project Rene were leaked after a closed online test, drawing criticism over the art style, limited functionality, and reliance on microtransactions. The inclusion of a café stirred particular skepticism due to similarities with 2018's The Sims Mobile. EA later clarified that Project Rene is not The Sims 5, but rather a distinct "cozy, social game" under The Sims brand.

In other news, The Burglar, a nostalgic character for veteran players, has recently returned in the latest update for The Sims 4.