If you're a fan of the sims, there's a good chance you've been looking forward to The Sims 5 for quite some time. Over the last few years, we've seen leaks, rumours and so much more but recent developments have been less focused on the future of the franchise.
A recent live stream shows that there are big plans for The Sims 5 when it eventually releases but when exactly might that be? Here's what we know so far.
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UPDATED - Sims 5 to release this year?
With the recent Project Rene livestream behind us, we're now looking towards late 2023 as a genuine possibility for the Sims 5 being released.
While there is every possibility that we're still well over a year away, with Sims 4 content slowing down, it makes sense that resources have been focused on a new game for some time.
Behind the Sims Summit Livestream unveils The Sims: Project Rene
Although not confirmed for it being the Sims 5, it was announced via a Sims livestream event, the Behind the Sims Summit, the next installation of the franchise dubbed "Project Rene", in which the developers described it as “the next generation The Sims game and creative platform."
Project Rene (pronounced like Renée) represents what will eventually be the next The Sims title. The name comes from a phrase "chosen to be reminiscent of words like renewal, renaissance, and rebirth to represent the developer’s renewed commitment for The Sims’ bright future," according to the developers.
Collaborative Play comes to The Sims
The new Sims title will offer players a choice to play solo or to play with friends in what was called "Collaborative Play."
"With Project Rene, players will have the choice to play solo or collaborate with others, and will have the ability to play their game across supported devices," reads the official description on EA's website.
The extent of Collaborative Play details hasn't yet been revealed, however, one could expect possible features such as visiting each others' houses, interactions, and possible building together. Additionally, seems like Simmers will also get to take their progress with them no matter the platform.
Shown via the livestream, the player demonstrates themselves tinkering with their furniture both on their phone and their PC.
New Customizations make their way to the Sims
With Project Rene, there will be new ways to bring on about customization.
It seems like players will be able to edit furniture piece-by-piece, adjusting elements such as colors, patterns, and more, even getting to change the design and shape of it.
A demonstration uses a bed and a sofa as an example, showcasing the new endless capabilities. It showed the bread spreads color and pattern being changed, even the footboard.
There will be plenty of options when wanting to customize.
The Sims 5 Trailer
As you’d expect, we’re yet to see a trailer for the new game.
However, there's plenty to work off of with the Behind the Sims Summit livestream.
How much will The Sims 5 cost?
While we are unsure of what the Standard Edition of Sims 5 will cost although, in comparison to Limited Editions of the game, most blockbuster titles that have been released in 2020 and 2021 are listed somewhere around the £50 mark, although the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X versions of the game may cost up to £70.
Looking to 2022 for the future of The Sims
The Sims 4's Community Manager has confirmed that there are no surprises in-store for The Sims 4 players this Christmas, but what about 2022? We could be getting an announcement regarding The Sims 5, but we're not so sure despite the fact we're due a new game.
The Sims 3 was released in 2009 - then The Sims 4 was released five years later in 2014. It's coming up to eight years with this game, so we're well overdue a new Sims game. However... The Sims 4 just keeps getting new content and if people keep buying it... Is there even any desire from EA to make another game?
The next generation of consoles have been out for a year now, but The Sims has always been a game that's associated with the PC platform - not consoles. However, the PS5 and Xbox Series X could change things... There's a lot that can be done with The Sims and The Sims 5 could do it all. In theory, anyway...
Sims 5 Careers Should Dream Big
When playing The Sims, not everyone wants to face the realistic aspect of the game when it comes to careers. Maxxis should be looking at bigger, grander, and quite frankly, more ridiculous options for The Sims 5.
Let us become royalty, world leaders or anything our heart desires. Increasing the options available for our Sims careers could help the game become even more fun and it could be expanded upon through its frequent updates and content additions.
EA/Maxis offering an open forum for fans to give feedback
In a slightly surprising twist, EA and Maxis have announced, at very short notice, an open forum for fan feedback. Taking place on Thursday, 19 August, fans can head to the link in the below tweet to offer feedback and advice for The Sims franchise.
This surely has to be an early step towards figuring out priorities with The Sims 5 as should any major issues or requests be flagged, Maxis can ensure they are taken care of going forward.
Sims 5 Multiplayer To Be A Separate Game?
Given the success of the Rockstar method of online play, with Red Dead Redemption and GTA 5 having separate Online experiences available, could The Sims follow suit?
If The Sims does have a deep and expansive multiplayer mode in mind, it may be best to offer this as a separate experience from the main single-player game.
Could Co-Op Return In The Sims 5 Multiplayer?
Whenever the next instalment of a much-loved franchise is due, we tend to look back with nostalgia at the series and think of what we want from the newest game.
For us, when we look at the possibility of The Sims 5, there's one feature that sticks out as a must-have. We would like to see Co-Op brought back into the series. The feature was much loved among the older titles especially for the console versions of the game.
We're sure The Sims 5 is being worked on at this very moment, and can only hope our wishes come true.
Improved Graphics and New Features
One aspect that stands out in the fan-made trailers above is the incredible graphics.
This is accurate as we know that The Sims 5 will upgrade significantly on graphics, and add many more customization options to boot.
READ MORE: The Sims 5 is likely to have online multiplayer!
Alongside this will be a bucket load of new features, which has been rumoured to include better vehicles and full neighbourhood customisation.
What Unreal Engine 5 means for The Sims 5
The Unreal Engine 5, Epic Games’ new game engine, was revealed on a live-stream hosted by Youtube account, the game awards.
If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch the truly stunning video below:
This video shows Unreal Engine 5 running on a PS5 dev kit, with the visuals outputted through an HDMI cable, so this is a truly accurate depiction of what graphics could look like on the PS5 and therefore The Sims 5!
Head here for a deeper dive into the all-new Unreal Engine 5.
Fan-Made Sims Concept Shows Game Running In Unreal Engine
Let's face it, no one plays The Sims for the graphical fidelity. Nor do they wish for the game to become a hyper-realistic attempt at reflecting real life.
However, Priymak Elysium on YouTube got curious and has shown off concepts of what The Sims could look like running in the Unreal Engine. We have to say, now that we've seen it, we want to see more!
Multiplayer Confirmed By EA
In an interview with VentureBeat, EA’s Chief Studio Officer Laura Miele shared new details about The Sims 5, confirming it is in development and what players can expect from the next entry in the series.
Check out the full transcription below courtesy of Sims Community.
Geoff Keighley: On another note, I talked a little about The Sims – you mentioned that which is totally a great point with Maxis related games SimCity, SimFarm, even The Sims Online. It was 20 years ago, ahead of its time, with letting people build a character, build your environment. The Sims is still a vibrant franchise for EA right now. Is there sort of an opportunity to do more of there? I look at Roblox, Fortnite Creative and things like that. It seems like The Sims out of all your franchises is maybe best equipped to play in this world?
Laura Miele: Yes, a lot of fertile ground for The Sims for sure and the idea that we will build on the tools for people to play with life and the idea for people to be able to play with life together. We had The Sims Online that came out in 2002 which was around 20 years ago. We certainly were ahead of our time.
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. And then to do that together – I think that’s one of our biggest opportunities with The Sims 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.
Geoff Keighley: I imagine as The Sims becoming more of a platform for creativity – it feels like an opportunity?
Laura Miele: Absolutely. And it’s us being able to create a framework and that players are actually gonna create these experiences and in the end, it's doing it together, doing it collaboratively. They are sharing, they could create marketplaces.
What we arm them with and the capabilities and frameworks we arm them with and where they take that I think it’s going to be a pretty significant surprise and a pretty exciting time for us as we bring these tools and platforms to market.
How Multiplayer Could Work
It has been confirmed by EA that multiplayer will feature in The Sims 5, but how will it work? Here are some suggestions.
Interacting With Friends
Rather than featuring MMO style gameplay where thousands of Sims all live in one city, the likely way it will be implemented is that players will be able to visit their friend's house and interact with the families.
A Creator Marketplace
A creator marketplace also seems like something that will come to the game, creating an Etsy style platform for digital designers to create their own items while being able to earn some of the revenue from the sale.
Sims 5 Gameplay
While we don't have any footage just yet, we do have some insights about what could be coming with The Sims 5 gameplay.
This includes comments from EA CEO Andrew Wilson about integrating Sims Online into the future of the franchise, as well as sentiments about optimizing for next-gen technology.
These point to potential online multiplayer gameplay in The Sims 5, and perhaps a release on next-gen consoles!
The Importance of Mods in The Sims 5
Throughout the series, mods have been a massive part of the Sims experience. For a lot of players, they're the only reason they still play, since they keep what are old games quite fresh.
You can send your Sim to College... or turn them into Sorcerers. Modding has long breathed new life into The Sims franchise.
We'd be shocked, therefore, if mod-support didn't continue with The Sims 5. How they are to look is a question we've been asking ourselves, and we're sure other people have been too.
The Sims modding community is celebrated across the industry for its ingenuity and inclusiveness and is a vital part of The Sims eco-system. To get rid of it would be going against the very ethos of The Sims.
Next-Gen
With the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X now out in the wild, we can expect The Sims 5 to release on that platform and take advantage and everything on offer with the new system, including fast loading and 4K gameplay.
However, EA has mostly stuck to releasing each Sims game as a PC exclusive for the first few years.
So if we do see The Sims 5 on next-gen consoles, it may take another couple of have years.
READ MORE: The Sims 5 is likely to have online multiplayer!
However, this isn’t definite and with both the PS5 and Xbox 2020 set to break new boundaries in the gaming world, EA may well adopt a different strategy that encompasses the new consoles.
Head here to find out how next-gen consoles might improve The Sims 5.