The team behind Project Rene, the next big The Sims game that may or may not be The Sims 5, has shared another update on the project in the latest Behind The Sims video.
Project Rene has been confirmed to be “free to download”.
VP Franchise Creative Lyndsay Pearson said that “when it’s ready 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”.
This is an elaborate way to say that the game won’t be free-to-play like in a mobile game way (since The Sims already have not one but two ongoing, seperate free-to-play mobile games). And since Project Rene does support cross-play with mobile, it’s important for them to say it out loud that it’s free in the way The Sims 4 is currently free right now.
However, expect to still see paid packs or DLCs. But the line of what’s part of a free update and what’s part of a premium purchase will be drawn differently this time.
Pearson brought up a specific The Sims 4 example in how weather effects are only for those that purchase the Seasons expansion. If Project Rene would to add weather, as a hypothetical example, it would have a basic weather system available for all players, but sell a pack that adds specific activities like winter sports.
Project Rene won’t include all the content in The Sims 4 has right now as part of the base game (please don’t cut pools and toddlers like last time). But expect the game to grow over time like The Sims 4 has.
Also, the release of Project Rene will not cease support of The Sims 4, as The Sims team is keen to support both titles simultaneously, alongside the two other mobile games. Wild.
It really feels like we’re learning too much of the new Sims game while details still are not properly locked in place, but having the next Sims game be free similar to The Sims 4 is one move that any other emerging life sim games like Life By You and Paralives cannot do.
There’s no release date for Project Rene yet, or a proper title.