Electronic Arts presented a first look at the next game The Sims, one of its most successful franchises. The company took advantage of its event Behind The Sims Summit to provide information about Project Rene, the code name that the successor of The Sims 4. Although the title is in the pre-production stage, EA revealed some features that show the kind of game they plan.
Lyndsay Pearson, Vice President of Creative Franchise, stated that they are building the next generation of The Sims looking forward to the next decade. the new game will bet on a collaborative experience and can be enjoyed on multiple platforms. Electronic Arts is shaping up to a model similar to Minecraftwhere users can play on mobile phones, consoles and more.
The creative vice president mentioned that they are forming a group of developers who work together with the development teams The Sims 4 Y The Sims Mobile. “Today is the start of our journey into the years to come as we work on the next installment and creative platform,” she said. Pearson stated that they chose the name Project Rene, as it means renewal or rebirth, words that represent the commitment to renew The Sims.
Rene Project (The Sims 5) will have new collaborative tools
According to EA, the team is building on the same foundations that have made The Sims appeal to multiple generations of gamers. Although the game is years away, Pearson showed the changes in the creative tools and a first approach to the cross-platform feature. “With the Rene Project, the simmers They will have the option to play alone or collaborate with others, on all supported devices.”
EA has committed to releasing information about Proyecto Rene over the next two years. The idea is to get feedback from the community through peeks and then, open a preview version for a small number of users. Pearson said they’re not used to revealing information about a game that’s many years away, but with The Sims is the exception.
Before concluding the presentation, Pearson emphasized that the scenes shown are part of an early version of the game and are still in the experimental stage. Project Rene is the vision of The Sims for the next decade, so it is possible that EA bets on a model free to play multi platform. The company has seen revenues in the millions from free games such as Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes and the most recent to be added to the list is The Sims 4.
Although Proyecto Rene is several years away and there is a dedicated team, EA does not plan to let go The Sims 4. The 2014 title has received 12 expansions and dozens of game packs with multiple themes and items, including starwars. Perhaps most importantly, the company earns close to half a million dollars a year from the franchise, which prompted it to convert to The Sims 4 in a free game.