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EA has recently unveiled a sneak peek into what seems to be the future of The Sims franchise with their upcoming project codenamedProject Rene. This initiative appears to be a new step in the franchise’s new direction for the series and one that’s focused on mobile gaming. Let’s take a look atProject Reneand what’s in store for The Sims franchise.
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What is Project Rene?
To give a bit of history,Project Rene was first revealed in 2022 as EA’s experimental attempt at reimagining The Sims experience. While it shares DNA with The Sims series, it’s not a direct sequel toThe Sims 4and is instead designed as a separate game nowrevealed as City Life Game with Friends.I’ve tried the game in its current closed alpha, and from my brief experience, I couldn’t find anything that I would say was truly unique about this project. Its gameplay is similar to The Sims, including its character models, customization options, animations, emotes and world design. Even its multiplayer elements, which were teased as a major evolution for the franchise, feel more like an expansion of existing social features rather than a revolutionary shift. For those wondering if this is EA’s first attempt at a mobile-based Sims game, it’s not.The Sims FreePlaylaunched over a decade ago and remains active today, offering a similar experience for mobile players.
How to Join Project Rene Closed Alpha
For those interested in testing Project Rene, the closed alpha is currently accessible via the Google Play Store under the name “City Life Game with Friends.” Players can download the app, sign in with theirEA accountsand participate in the playtest, which isavailable until July 28, 2025 at 12:00 AM (PST).
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For those interested in testing Project Rene, the closed alpha is currently accessible via the Google Play Store
During last year’s EA Investor Day,Laura Miele, President of EA Entertainment, highlighted thatThe Sims 4 would serve as the foundation for the franchise’s growth strategy. Building on this, EA plans to launch a variety of new titles, includingProject Rene(also known as City Life Game with Friends),MySims, released forNintendo Switch, and another standalone mobile game,TheSims Project Stories, which will provide a platform for players to create and share stories within The Sims Universe.
For long-time Sims players, the question remains whether this roadmap will be enough to keep its player base engaged. The life sim genre, once dominated by Maxis’ The Sims, is now facing serious competition and 2025 is shaping up to be a defining year for EA because of the arrival of a new challenger,inZOI, a brand new, ambitious hyper-realistic life sim game developed by Krafton, a South Korean video game publisher who also co-developed PUBG. Without a true AAA entry scheduled for release this year, it’s going to be interesting to see whether EA’s roadmap ushers in a new future for the franchise.
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