Electronic Arts (EA) has officially confirmed that The Sims 5, codenamed Project Rene, will be "free to download." This next-generation Sims game was first unveiled last October and would feature both solo and multiplayer gaming across many platforms, including mobile.
Lyndsay Pearson, Maxis Studios' VP of franchise creative for The Sims, confirmed that Project Rene would be completely free to play, with no requirement for a membership, core game purchase, or energy mechanisms. This choice is intended to make it simple for users to invite friends and enjoy the game together.
Project Rene may not have as many features as The Sims 4 at launch, but the development team intends to constantly improve it with new experiences and content over time. While DLC and packs will be available for purchase, the team plans to incorporate certain features in the main game for free, potentially changing the proportion of paid and free stuff. For example, basic weather elements may be provided to all users, with separate packs focusing on specific activities such as winter sports.
Project Rene and The Sims 4 will coexist, according to Pearson, with both receiving continued maintenance and exciting feature upgrades. Maxis plans to reveal more about Project Rene's multiplayer capabilities in the near future.
This news coincided with The Sims 4 becoming free-to-play eight years after its first release. According to EA, The Sims 4 has over 70 million players worldwide, showing the franchise's lasting popularity.
Andrew Wilson, the CEO of Electronic Arts, indicated a strategic change towards focusing their biggest online brands, including The Sims. He expressed confidence that these games, driven by their large online communities, might generate expansive universes and ecosystems like to Star Wars and Marvel. This focus matches with EA's goal of achieving exponential growth in these core properties, recognising the significant player engagement they already have.
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