The Sims 5, also known as Project Rene, will be “free to download” on launch, according to a new blog post by EA during a Behind The Sims presentation. The developer also confirmed that the upcoming game will “exist side by side” with The Sims 4 with support for both titles and new content for the predecessor for the “foreseeable future.”
This news may not come as a surprise to some, given a previous job listing for Project Rene described the game as “free to enter,” and the inclusion of an in-game marketplace, although this was quickly deleted with no further elaboration given.
In the blog post, EA clarified that when The Sims 5 is “ready and fully open to players, you will be able to join, play and explore it without a subscription, core game purchase or energy mechanics.” It’s worth noting that the wording of “free to download” as opposed to free to play seems like a deliberate choice, although it appears like based on their comments, there won’t be any of those mobile game energy purchase mechanics, subscriptions, or an initial outlay to get the title – although whether further monetisation methods beyond the usual content packs and expansions will be employed isn’t clear just yet. EA went on to add that they wanted “playing to be super easy for you to invite or join friends and experience new features, stories and challenges.”
EA said they wanted Project Rene / The Sims 5 to be “strong and cohesive from the start,” and that the game would grow over time – “while it won’t begin with everything you have in The Sims 4, we plan to add new experiences and content to Project Rene over time.”
They did also note that the sale of content and packs would be changed up when The Sims 5 is released, with the example given during the Behind The Sims presentation describing the use of weather. “For example, basic weather may be added to the core game for free, for everybody. And in the future, a pack for purchase may be focused on winter sports with activities like ice dancing or a snowman building competition,” the post said. “It’s important that with Project Rene, we lower barriers to play and give all players the broadest shared systems because that feels like the strongest foundation for us to grow from.”
The Sims 5 – or Project Rene – doesn’t have a release date or any further details just yet, but EA did confirm the game is in the “early stages of development,” so we’re likely to see more info soon on what to expect from the next generation of the iconic franchise.
Lead Image Credit: EA
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