The Sims 5, currently in development under the codename Project Rene, aims to provide a more interactive multiplayer experience for fans of the franchise.

Although Maxis is not the same (Electronic Arts has killed off a number of studios, and the castration of existing teams is a practice at the publisher…), The Sims is steadily moving towards a major episode number five. The game will not only change in terms of numbering, as we have repeatedly heard from the developers that they want to create a “multiplayer platform”. While we haven’t heard many official details yet, on the One More Life podcast, Lyndsay Pearson, Vice President of the franchise, explained the framework they want to give Project Rene:

“We definitely want to do multiplayer. Not multiplayer in the big, scary ‘jump into a world full of strangers’ kind of way, but literally, how do you and your friends want to play together? How do we figure out how to make a little bit of chaos, a little bit of fun, and a little bit of positivity come together in a way that feels ‘Simsy’? Of course, the multiplayer landscape has changed a lot over the years, with some games offering a much more casual experience; Animal Crossing in particular is an example that comes to mind for the team behind Project Rene,” said Pearson.

The interactive multiplayer element of The Sims 5 is important to the franchise and to Electronic Arts. The developers do not want to rush the process, but rather provide a platform where people can play together in a cooperative, friendly environment. So they are not moving towards a competitive, rivalry-based style, which is good because it avoids rage-quitting (common in fighting games).

Since we don’t know anything about the in-game content of The Sims 5, we shouldn’t expect it anytime soon. Even Electronic Arts has not given an approximate release date.

Source: WCCFTech