Free To Enter sounds like a base game far more bare than The Sims 4, and you purchase additions to make it remotely engaging.

Apparently, this model “worked” for The Sims 4, so they’re using it here. I assume it will flop, which is why TS4 is still around. TS4 is in a unique position. The base game is basically a build simulator and Sims designer with some basic life simulation and you buy additions to augment that. It had years of patches and support to make it viable and a lot was expected from it.

Rene is not in that boat. TS4 is viable but still needs work. They’re trying to push it off as multiplayer, but The Sims is not a multiplayer experience. Most players don’t build, and I can’t think of many designers who want to actively design with someone else.

Then, there’s a mobile component… no. I don’t need to design on the go. It’s helpful, but typically, the Sims is an experience you play for a while at a time.

Make a family.
Make a house.
Live their life.

A mobile component for live mode would be much better and far more engaging. A limited number of players will get true value out of designing on the go.

The difference between "free to play" and "free to enter" is minuscule. They're both marketing terms to entice people into their ecosystem and keep them within the ecosystem. This is what Sims 4 has turned into basically. They've made base game free and sectioned off the extra content into smaller and smaller bite sized piece so that people can "pick and choose' what they want added to their game. It might not end up being a Sims 3 Store situation necessarily, but the concept will be the same.

The "Sims 5" will be free and have all the basic features one would expect of a life sim. Might even include pools and toddlers this time. Then it will follow their new formula of kits and gamepacks. "Expansion packs" and "Stuff packs" might not exist anymore.

Project Rene is not coined as 5, as it will run alongside TS4. They’re not committed to the risk, and I don’t blame them

I would say the key difference between “play” and “enter” is in the name. Free to play games let you play them, and they get progressively harder, incentivizing payment. Payment is also encouraged to minimize grinding.

Free to enter doesn’t sound like a playing model, otherwise, they’d have used the widely popular “Free To Play” term.

I can see them charging $5 for a buffet table or whatever. The reason they can’t do it now is because they committed to a design/content model when TS4 launched as a full priced game.

Now I don't know why, but Free to Enter reminded me of the ticket machine from the TS2, lol (well, there's an interaction that allows you to pick and grant freebie for customer of your choose). I guess it's kinda fitting metaphor (based how the machine acts/behaves) that represents Project NaeNaeWatchMeWhip (ok ok, I'll cut it with flat jokes of EA neglecting older vet audience that kept them afloat).

Project(Sims)Rip*, there corrected



I wanna go as far as screenshot Sims contemplaying to buy a ticket, with ProjectReaped logo plastered on (as) the machine. Oh and the Sim/Business owner changing the price with the journal being a metaphor of EA employee (mhh, perhaps the corgi-loving bald guy, no? )

Project Rene is a codename for The Sims 5. Whatever title they end up giving it, this is clearly the next installment in the series.

Sims 5/Rene is a service model game. It being free to enter doesn’t mean you can’t play it, it means there’s going to be massive content-gating.

$30 to unlock aging and other age groups. $20 to unlock the other base game neighborhoods and all building tools.

I think you are probably spot on about this. Free to enter and do some, but then cannot do much after that unless get out your wallet. And then they will nickle and dime you to death as best as they can. And sad thing is, it will work for some, but sure not me. I will get, look at, and then delete I am sure.

The corgi-loving, bald guy was one of the lead producers of TS4. Once again, history is repeating itself. Ah the fun-filled days of listening to Grant run his mouth on Twitch streams. Yikes!

Maybe EA will go full circle and bring John Riccitiello back. John Riccitiello was the former CEO of EA ( prior to Andrew Wilson) who caused more problems than he was worth. Unity scooped him up and made him CEO there. It only took less than 10 years before he made a mess out of that company too, so Riccitiello is 'retiring'. I suspect it was more like shoved out the door, but the gaming universe likes to make everything look like it was planned, mutual and there isn't a single dawg to be found, anywhere. If these players had Pinocchio noses, they'd all be stabbing each other in the eyes from across the room.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/john-...fter-nine-years

EA brought the Dancing Queen back from Mark Zuckerberg's La-La Land. There is no reason to think they wouldn't give Riccitiello a job doing something. It is creepy AF just how cozy the people in the tech industry are with each other. EA is like a giant spider web. A appropriate metaphor for this time of year, at least in the US or anywhere else that celebrates Halloween.

This thread title may just be renamed to Project Rene in Development. It has been confirmed it's a side game, not a main title. And unfortunately, that means there isn't TS5 and very probable it won't be in any time (unless this game blows, EA gets tired of TS4 and for some reason will have the cash and fuck to continue the series for a much doomer lite).

W for competitors. L for EA (kinda of like TS3 trait where reviving from dead becomes annoyance and inconvience).

It will likely be extremely profitable just like Sims 4. Doesn't mean there will be any quality in the future of Sims 5.

Where was it confirmed to be a “side game”?

EA has only referred to it as the next iteration of sims so it’s clearly the successor to The Sims 4.

It was mentioned by SnatchOnSims video with sources confirming it. Don’t know how others were surprised when it wasnt called TS5 to begin with.

That is typical in the industry when things are in development and they are posting job descriptions and so on. That is a code project name and darn sure not the final name of the game. It will not be Renee and we will have to see what it is? I think it is pretty clear though that this is their version of 5.

Doubt it. It would had its logo leaked like it has been with 1, 2, 3 and 4. Why would they hesitate to call it TS5 already? The logic doesn’t add up.

It’s very likely gonna be call something, unless they see it failing like Olympus and thus turn into TS5 despite being watered down version as well.

https://simsvip.com/2023/09/12/conf...ne-is-released/

Video for those that want to hear this from the horses' mouth. The bit relating to TS4 running beside Project Not Touching It With A 10-Foot Pole starts at 8:44. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu5iU38RIuU

They may or may not call it Sims 5 but I think it is pretty clear it is being done as the 5th game for the series. And I do not recall estimated issue dates being released? It could be years away so they may have not even done a logo yet? Who knows? And also this is the first time where they have stated they plan to have 4 keep going for years. So they do not want to take any focus away from 4 more than necessary?

If you do not think this is what they consider to be their 5 what is it, and do you think they will do a 5 called 5? They will not stop this series as long as it makes money. I highly doubt that they are working on Renee while also planning another game to be 5.

It would be really confusing to people if they called Project Rene TS5 while keeping TS4 going. But then again, we are talking about EA here. Having things make sense is not a priority.

They may not name it as such but IMO they are clearly doing it as the 5th version of Sims. I play both 3 and 4 and there are people that play 2 and maybe even still some 1 players also. Many Simmers do play more than one version. And as you say, are they always logical, nope.

From marketing stand point, if they wanted it to sell they name it TS5. Regardless, they making money with The Sims Freeplay just as fine as 3.5th version. This game still ain’t TS5, but if ppl want to call it and have expectarion as next game should be, then that’s on them
It can branded as The Sims 5000 or The Sims Superlympus for all I care; I sat what I read it is; a side/spin off game that I won’t invest time acting like it is a main title game,

Besides. What is there so 5 about it other than manipulating pillows on a house and share it with your real life friends? On second, don’t answer lol. I’m just salty of pur standards thats all. More power to will enjoy it.

ETA3: kind of annoying when I think about how live mode players are put in the backseat behind builders. The Sims is now just a cool building game

Who knows how they will name it, but it seems to be they consider it to be the 5th version of the Sims, at least so far. The Sims name has sale value so we will see if they use it or not? I can tell I probably will have zero interest in it other than downloading the free version, looking at it out of curiosity, then will delete it when they want me to spend to get something, if not before that. And I also suspect it is being geared to the 12s even more than 4, sad to say, so I will have no interest in playing it.

What we might consider to be a valid Sims 5 and what they do can be very different things. We, the Simmers who have been around a while, are not the fish they are trying to catch now.

Reading from the comments of the video, it seems sense to me. Project Rene has a side game could (assumtion: not proven) be a way of them testing the waters, knowing full well that what they will with it (monetization and multiplayer crap) might not be tolerated enough EA can drop the ball on it and turn back to TS4 and resort to it as the passive income it was before. Doesn’t that convincing to you all?

Using players as guinea pigs is nothing new.

I came across a article recently that talks about how former EA employees are working with another company for 'experiments and science' to use on casual players of mobile games. I posted the article in the Why is EA so bad tho thread, it is here. https://modthesims.info/showthread....640#post5918640

Since it is also well known how cozy people within the industry are with each other, I'm sure EA is also participating in these so-called 'experiments'. Doncha love the verbiage. Nothing sez a gaming company loves a person more than telling their customers that they are being used for experiments. Warning! Warning! Run away from all the red flags and flashing lights! They are not doing anything to make your life better!

It isn't like there is a shortage of examples, just look at Sims Mobile and the bullshit that goes on with that game. $40.00 for a lot, then another $17.00 or whatever it was to plop the lot down. Yeah, no.

What is interesting about that whole scene is the excuses people use. I read it all the time that people can't afford a computer, so they play on their phone. In reality, if they saved all the money they blew on mobile games whether that be Sims Mobile or whatever other crap they're playing, they'd be able to purchase a decent computer in no time. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. Then these same people get mad when it comes out that gurus are telling Yibs to play up their broken ass game because the community is angry. Yeah, okay...sure.

I used to feel bad for these people, I don't any more. They've had more than enough time to help themselves. If they want to piss through $40.00 for a frickin' digital lot filled with ugly shit, that's a choice.

They are spending a heck of a lot I am sure for this to be a side game and to test waters. And it is not a case of turning back to 4 as they have never left it and plan on keeping it going. It is making them money and so far there are no plans to drop it. They had planned to do 4 as multiplayer and dropped that which is part of why 4 has some of the problems that it has. But this is now years later and and the market has changed. Whether this new project will be a success or not is to be seen?

We know how online compotent in a singleplayer games that are poorly manage and maintain by our goddess deity Electronic out works out in the future, as if the fiasco with SimCity 5 or what was it called didn’t happen The Sims Online, The Sims Social, The Sims Olympus had no success. Why we acting rhis be no different?

Even if for miraculous instance the LANs, servers or what they’re called compotent is proficiently handled to work without hiccups and outtages, the magority will flock and stay with TS4 and ProjectRayRay will only have niche market thats even more nicher compare to TS4.

Sorry but I’m just highly sceptical on the “they won’t drop it part” when it’s EA and The Sims we’re talking about. Eventually they will drop it cause they know their risk. Why keep TS4 alive oppose to not having the confidence to switch to next sequal or reboot? Oh wait…. they aren’t certain this “TS5” will fly off.

P.S. Maybe I wasn’t clear, but by dropping I was referring to PR, not TS4. Sorry if we misunderstood, so I guess there was no disagreement.

So it’s not actually confirmed then



Probably a reboot. It’s not a side game, it’s the next major release after The Sims 4. For all intents and purposes, it’s Sims 5 regardless what they call it. Maxis did the exact same thing with SimCity 5.

Maxis produces 1 game and they haven’t had a major release in 10 years. In no way does it make sense to have the next major release be a side game, with Sims 4 (a 10+ year old game) remaining the flagship title.



EA hasn’t provided any specifics on what Sims 4’s ongoing support will actually look like. Their advertising will direct people to the new game. Sims 4 will exist more or less like Freeplay where it’s supported by its player base.

I totally agree. My guess is it will not be called 5, but it is being done as the 5th game in the series.

And as long as 4 makes money they will keep it in production. But they are moving onto the new. EA can walk can chew gum at the same time. I also am sure they have done some major market research before starting this and getting as far as they have. They started the "wrong" direction in 4 but did change course from learning more about the market. And to some degree they paid for that SNAFU. My guess is they do not want to go through that again so have studied and planned far more carefully this time about all aspects of what they are doing.

And this is a totally different world now than 10 years ago and more in every way. Tech has improved, the target audience has changed and what they want and how they play.

Whatever they call it, I don't expect it to be as profitable as TS4. That's why TS4 will continue. Don't forget who left TS4 to begin this project. That was Grant beloved for his work on Open for Business in TS2. Despised for his comments about dog houses are bad in TS4 and snarky comments on Twitter.

I believe TS4 will continue for those who don't want to play moving furniture around on their phones (TS5). But there will be new players who are seeking gaming fame who will be enticed by EA's offer to make them rich if they will create something and get paid for that creation as it gets sold in the game to the little people. There will be the usual takers of this type of popularity of Youtubers who will be the first to get their stuff up and running, and then those who also want fame among the community population to get in on the act, too.

Making money will be the draw for the new generation. Instead of a life simulation game it's going to be all about the money one can make if they play for free create stuff with a new DLC and make some money. It's purely a money-grubbing project. Where completion and cliques will weld the power over the game and all others will be looking for a new game to actually play instead of tooting horns and or just stick with the stale TS4.

Bingo! And EA. That is the goal. 4 will continue as long as makes money, for the players who like it and will continue to buy content, and the new will be to get especially the 12s and so on on their phones. Phone games/apps generate big $$$ and EA wants a part of that huge pie. It is all about the money.

PR might be played by those who travel a lot I would assume (where normally, you would sit down at home for a game like the Sims unless you have the time and patienxe in the world to set it on steam deck). On positive note, Project Renee may be the closest to the thing you’ll ever if you asked for nintendk switch port, lol.

And the way too many people especially the young nowadays who are Siamses twins with their phones. I have watched teens out to dinner together, and every one is on the phone. They do not say a word to each other unless to show someone else something on their phones. EA knows the stats about how many hours people are on their phones. It is a heck of a lot. People cannot even get off them when driving. It is an actual addiction for many and EA knows that.

I'm in my mid-30s and I do that.

Before mobile phones, it was handheld video game systems or books. I've been this way for as long as I remember. No shame in that.

I would argue it was TVs back in old days. Old farts were glued to their screen 3 hours and you couldn’t talk, say or ask something without being hushed. All the difference today is that teens are carryable cellphones and that’s that of a difference.

Even when I don't have a phone somewhere, I'm not a talkative person so I'd either be counting floor tiles, ceiling tiles, or something else to distract me from the silence. Can't say I've ever played a game at a table though. Used to play "lines and boxes" or whatever it's called which only required something to write with and some paper.

Wrong. Get the facts.

https://www.google.com/search?q=how...chrome&ie=UTF-8

Yeah, on accident I miswrote carryable telephones instead of carryable TVs. I’m sure adults would have watch mini TV outside of their home if they had a portable device like teens have. There’s a difference where you have to retirn home to use electronic va where you take and use it anywhere. I’m sure statistic would be way different had Adults had portable, easy to use screen that broadcast all channels you gotten to see at home.

No, it was a totally different mindset before this. People could have all gone everywhere with a book, or whatever. People were out doing things more and communicating face to face with people. They were not addicted to devices/something else. Now many of the teens and some others will not even make a phone call and all they will do is text. There is a whole generation now with too many that are glued to screens and not living in the real world outside of it much. It has been heavily noted and studied. I saw one show about a teen who has chosen to be on the street in a filthy dump homeless rather that get off her phone. There are apps for virtual friends now. People choose that over making real ones. It is all quite sad actually. They are going to have a very hard time as adults in too many cases.

EA is well aware of how much people, especally pre and teens are on their phones. And they want in on the big $$$$$$ from it. They know exactly what is going on. And they want a piece of that pie.

That's how I met my bestie, Sim Sample.

Not all if them carried books or socialized (my parents, grandparents and other adults I looked up to didn’t) and not all adults were extroverts (then again, it’s maybe US thing to be load and talk ul anyone). Also, it’s hypothetical situation what would have had happened IF handheld TV tv came in before smartphones. I’m not denying that there is no problem with how newer generation isn’t suffering emotional and sociological problem regarding antisocialism or device addiction. I’m just saying it may have been the same (well, maybe to extent) if people whk were glued to tv had easy way to consume dopamine outside of their home. I do agree with you regardless.

Maybe in America it is like that, but I still do see Teens talking to one another oher than text (like on a bus to goes outskirts of town teens talk with another vocally than texting across). And some do talk over phone, when they have reason to talk longer than exchange information than a short minute. Personally, as adult I much prefer leaving the house and hang out with someone I wanna talk over phoning because i hardly can hear a word when theres noise around. I text if theres no way around it.

However, I personally think that schools or very least parents need to teach them in modern world not be depended on just their smart phones.

I think many parents want to do as best as can but social media companies have algorithyms, however spelled, to keep them on. Parents try and fail. The media companies and social pressures are too strong and the teens and others cannot see it and resist. Some parents and organizations are trying to fight it, but so far it is not working.

Sims is pretty harmless other than time and amounts they may spend at least. It is not like other things leading to anxiety, depression, and even suicides. It is generally silly fluff.

I think the time is ripe to start talking about Project Rene.

For starters, an exclusive shot of the base game. Not "from" - "of".

It's my understanding that window style, the shirt, shorts, socks, shoes the sim is wearing, are only available through microtransactions. So not exactly the stuff of "free to enter" base game. Oh, the toilet may be base game, but the function to flush is also microtransaction only. Sims 5, the best version ever! Bring it on!

Or, more realistically, the toilet the best example of it, as it's all going down the crapper. The despair the sim seems to be displaying, also very apt. Probably another microtransaction animation.

"Want to buy unbreakable toilet? That'll be dollarsign6and99cents.!

I wish they revealed more about Rene really, at this point it just sounds like "multiplayer Sims you can play together with friends" okay, but how do the characters actually look like aside of being more expressive apparently? Is everything going to be stuff I have to buy separately or will there be free content too? What about other age groups, can you play as baby/infant/toddler/child/teen/elder or is it strictly young adults? Can you chat in the game? Will the said chat option be moderated and how? (I suppose with AI since no way they'd pay for all the people it would take to actually moderate anything). What about custom content? Is there going to be an in-game store that'll be the only way to share your creations so they can moderate what's been uploaded and keep the game "clean" like that while still allowing creativity? That feels like it would be the only way they could go about it honestly, it's either that or no-EA created content at all I assume.

Overall, nothing we've seen about Rene so far has convinced me that I want it, BUT it sure has convinced that me that their vision is nothing like how I envisioned Sims series turning out after Sims 2 and I feel that there's not much hope that they'd ever turn back to that "right" track again so it's very likely that there'll never again be a good Sims game by EA. Hopefully one of the competitors turns out better eventually.

Maxis dropping the ball again. They knew last year that they needed a new game announcement and didn’t have a new game to announce. So they hedged their bets against a couple indies and announced the potential for a new game. Now a year later we have working footage of another big budget life sim being made on the same engine for the same platforms. Unless they have some explosive reveal lined up for the beginning of the year including a release window we may be entering another SimCity 5 era for Maxis.

I think EA made the original mistake with TS4: regardless of the SimCity disaster they should have kept it as a multiplayer game - but they panicked. A good move would be to make multiplayer free; a lot of people would play it and then EA could milk them dry. Which they did anyway, but I guess players would not mind it as much as they do with the actual TS4.

Now EA is going more or less exactly the same way with TS5. It remains to be seen whether it will be multiplayer or not; one possibility is that Project Rene will be and TS5 won't. Imagine that: two games that are basically the same but with completely different sets of microtransactions (you can't use in the second one what you bought in the first) and, of course, with payable multiplayer. EA's wet dream.

But the situation is rather different this time. TS4 had no real competition except for TS2 and TS3, and a lot of people want to have the latest model, no matter what. Now there are some real competitors (as well as some fake ones) around and TS5 won't be the newest and the shiniest one any more.

I don't know what the final result will be but I do know that the show will be great.

I think EA did the right thing in ditching the multiplayer as it was a different market then, even though it caused many problems for the game. As for 5, there are Simmers who will get pretty much anything Sims and so 5 no matter what will be the newest and shiniest for them.

I have never been a completist. Odds are I will check it out if a free install, look a bit out of curiosity, then dump it. From what I am seeing so far it is not something that is being designed for an old school Simmer like me.

It will have multiplayer functions they have reiterated this every time they’ve talked about it. I know there is skepticism on this board about it, but Rene is Sims 5. According to them there will be Rene (Sims 5) and Sims 4, although I am skeptical that Sims 4 will actually run alongside the new game if it’s as early in development as they claim it is. Bottom line is there is only one new Sims game in the pipeline and it’s going to have single player and multiplayer game modes.

I think they are just refusing to call it Sims 5 as yet; maybe they are thinking of just reverting to 'The Sims' as they did with 'SimCity' (previous iterations were caled Sim City, Sim City 2000, Sim City 4 etc).

You are right, of course, all of you - no two games, though you must admit it would be a great way to bleed the players. Maybe someone from EA will read this thread and they will adopt it and then I can sue them and finally become rich. Sweet dreams.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ExUHBNJTjjU

Too lazy a screencap, but watch the video around from 5:50-6:00 mark and stop at 6:10 (you gonna love this one from sims team). Thank me later…




*flees like skeletor out of thread*


P.S: If one the Sim Yibs/fluencers try to do this shit to defend EAs crap, we can easily fire back and mass spam the screenshot and tell them to shut up voice puppets

I don't believe for a second gurus don't spend time in the DM boxes of Yibs telling them to attempt to control the narrative / mood of the community. Pack reviews are always based on CAS and build / buy. It isn't until a week or two later post a pack being put up for sale that suddenly all the bugs that Yibs 'didn't see' or ' didn't know about' suddenly are talked about. The For Rent pack shined a light on that whole issue. Part of this could be avoided if Yibs actually played with a pack for a solid 15-20 hours before giving a review, but that's not how the Yib program works.

It is so bad at this point that EA wants to give kickbacks to Yibs if people use the codes posted on their YT channels, but EA won't give the person buying a discount. I think it is Satch that is always zooming in on this little 'oversight' but it is a oversight that needs more sunshine put on it. When does the sims franchise become a MLM because it starting to feel like it is going in that direction.

Attempts at damage control are now a full time job for Yibs as Maxis can't seem to take the heat any more even though they're the ones peddling the bugs and problems to the masses. For the purists, I know EA is the publisher, but EA will publish anything so let's not use them as some kind of standard. They can't even be bothered to update the banners in FIFA to the correct year and yet, people continue to gobble that crap up. Gotta get them loot box fixes, I guess.

As a side note, I fell down a rabbithole a few days ago about internet influencers in general. Most of it was about the shit on Tik-Tok, but what happens there is not much different from all the shizz that goes on, on Instagram, Facebook, ect... It is insane what people will do if somebody on the internet simply tells them how wonderful they are.

They will spend hundreds of dollars on bags of dirt full of lead,then eat it because somebody smiled at a camera and told them that the eating said dirt would fix all of their problems. People will spend over $100.00 on a bottle of essential oils because they "trust" the person telling them that this snake oil will fix all vision problems even though the bottle of snake oil states do not use said oil around the eye area.

I won't get started about the whole thing surrounding stanley cups. People camping out in front of Target for a fucking pink cup that Target charges $45.00 for.

I need to stop before the tut-tutting starts, but the days of taking internet things with a truck load of salt no longer applies. It is more like take things with a convoy of dump trucks full of salt.

Watched a few videos of the youtuber I linked. Of couse he happens to be funny youtubers I watch (not that I’m trying to connection; just my observation, but I might not lie - when its a game I like + they do something creative than boring lets play count me as a viewer in!). He also gave respects to the mobile player for staying its stand (albeit, honestly - its pretty rational to quit a program when your game is that broken you can’t play) and that, what instantly gave me insta respect, that he himself would say no If some company gave him a copy to make review at the cist of being genuine and sincere with himself about honest feedback. Really, I don’t need the bullshit of fake people being fake about a game, just so I can know they apart of EAs sheep progeam and doing for money for rating packs 4 and 5 stars only. Where’s the fun and valuable input of hearing an opinion how every pavk is great and no bullshit is called out.

Grant Rodiek is leaving Maxis/EA:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gran...=public_profile

Could bode well for the next game, given how many controversial decisions he's been behind with The Sims 4. On the flip side, maybe he's leaving because he thinks Rene's going to be a dumpster fire? Who knows?

I really want to celebrate this news, but it is coming 10 years too late. May his next new boss set boundaries and not put up with his bullshit.

This is not what I remember. I can remember is that it were parents bitching about young kids sitting too long for the telly. We were always chased out of the house to play outside. When complaining about rain they would say (literally translated) 'You won't melt, you are not made of sugar'. Also, before that there was simply not enough on television to spend that much time in front of it. Not where I live anyway. My grandparents were active though. Granddad always doing stuff in his shed and my grandmother was always cleaning or doing gardening when I stayed over. Those 3 hours was usually a nap lol.

https://x.com/mrwsprss/status/1747464771798974508?s=46

Grant (Director) has decided to leave Maxis and EA. The post captured in the linked tweet reads more along the lines of he was given the option to resign instead of being fired. If I had to speculate as to -why- my best guess would be the state of Sims 5. For a game that’s been in some form of development since 2018 the progress, or lack thereof, is concerning. Their current flagship title (Sims 4) is on its last legs and the follow-up is presumably still years away from release, even an early access release at that. This isn’t the first time Grant made an abrupt exit from EA/Maxis, but given his role on the game that’s currently in development it’s unlikely that he made this decision voluntarily.

Assuming the worst, but I think this will result in massive changes to the direction of the game in order to meet a release deadline that’s -not- years away. I’ve always suspected they will use the “free to play” aspect as an excuse to release a feature-reduced game, but now that the director has left the company it’s a safe bet EA will want to push the game out asap so they can try to monetize it. It’s basically the same situation as The Sims 4 but with less of the game completed and much lower expectations from newer players.

To the point - he didn’t just leave. He left without a job lined up. The post read as though he’s not getting what he wants or expects from the game’s development and he’s unsatisfied with where he is and he needs/wants a job ASAP as he mentioned his children.

Sounds like Renee/The Sims is an absolute mess behind the scenes. Allegedly. Especially in this job market.

In the words of financial guru Dave Ramsey... "When you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

The whole thing about leaving when there are kids at home that need to be fed is whole other conversation. Hopefully his wife or whoever has a good job. CA is a really expensive state to live in.

The gaming industry has been on a massive layoff bender for the past year or so. EA alone planned on letting go of whatever the percentage was ( 6%?, 8%? total work force.... something like that. I can't be bothered to look it up) of employees which they have been doing. In a attempt to make it less obvious, they've been doing these layoffs by a million cuts. Some people here, a few more people there and so on. They're doing this to appease their Wall Street overlords.

As for the sims franchise being a mess, we already know that. Even those among us that don't like to talk about it or admit it know this franchise is a hot mess. It was a hot mess even before they mentioned Project Nay-Nay. The fact that they've been working on that since 2018 and still "have years to go" before it sees the light of day sez a lot. I don't know jack about game development, but if we go through the time line of this franchise, Project Nay-Nay should either be done or close to being finished.

Regardless, from where I'm sitting, I say "Later, Dude!" to Grant. He has left all of his hot mess behind for people that play sims to talk about years from now.

A more video about it.

I would be a little more simpathetic towards him, but knowing how he just said no to dog houses, babies and casinos in the lackluster game it was, I don’t feel like it would made any difference in our favor for consumers. So yeah, maybe he will be happy developing games that doesn’t have family or “passive gameplay” as much as he detests it

Other than that, it doesn’t seem that much of anything said that hasn’t been known before. We all know how crappy the model and gameplay probably will be. No bright future to be seen. It isn’t that of a breaking news, when your least favorite guru is leaving a game that maybe just makes it teeeny tiny better but not that to be horrified or clap your hands like Rachel Franklin that utters TIME FOR A PARTY (then again, she did it for an anticlimatic expansion pack, so on contrary it is fitting).

TS5 better be the most moddable game in existence ...there is no way i will ever play an EA/Sims game that isn't modded to the max. They are so lazy, and they know their passionate player base will do all the work for them while giving them all the money.

I really don't understand EA logic. (OK, that's a misnomer, but let's gloss over it for now.) In TS4, they had an (almost?) finished multiplayer game; after the SimCity fiasco they panicked and converted it to a single player game, with predictable consequences. Now they are making another multiplayer game, Project Rene, which won't be TS5 (or will it be? ... no it won't ... yes, it will ... ...) and they are making it at the time when a semi-official multiplayer mod for TS4 has been available for a while. Why not make it official and finally start working on a real TS5? But no; their death wish is too strong; small wonder that people like that Rodiek guy are jumping ship. (BTW, the general reaction on Reddit was "Good riddance!") Seems like they will finally get what they wish for.

EA cannot just snag something from the modding community, shove it in the game and call it done. To do that legally would cost them time and money. This not to say that they don't snag ideas from the modding community, then call it their own because they do that. When their game is being advertised to people between the ages of 8 - 12, not too many tweens can afford a lawyer to deal with the multi-billion EA that is backed by their Wall Street overlords.

If I were to guess why Grant decided to leave, I'm going with somebody up the chain of command told him no and he had a fit. Videos like the following would give the idea that Grant was some wonderful guy.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6J4I26t3X8 When in reality, he treated this community like crap. He's was the reason there were no babies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKzjiiox0Fk in the game when TS4 was released, announced on a Twitch stream that dog houses were a form of abuse, insulted people that play sims regularly on Twitter if anybody dared to question anything he said, ect...

I like Yin as a person. She can publish whatever she wants on her channel, but she had no clue what she was talking about. There was another video she did where she made it look like the only game in EA's portfolio was TS4 and that was why EA made billions that fiscal quarter. That would be a huge NOPE! A simple search would have given her the correct answer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...onic_Arts_games Most of EA's cash flow comes from FIFA and their sports games, not TS4 which is how stories like this one come to be:

EA CEO Signals EA Sports Metaverse Plans: 'Watch This Space' As Earnings Exceed $2.3 Billion

https://www.benzinga.com/general/ga...d=mw_quote_news

There is zero mention of sims anything in that article. And even then, Yin didn't take into account how much of money came from Wall Street itself. She didn't read the actual report, she just spouted whatever she felt like.

EA / Maxis has already done the sims multi-player thing. There was the official Sims Online that was shut down in 2008 and there is Sims Mobile which is somehow still alive, but EA is going to stop updating it soon if it hasn't happened already.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sims_Online

https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/t...g/play-together

There is a reason EA is called the Grim Reaper of games. The sims franchise is going to be another game in the list. eventually.

This is a very different world than it was when 4 was being developed and they now are targeting a very different audience in terms of what they do and how they use devices. Whether what they do succeeds or not is to be seen? But there is a base of people who will at least try anything with the Sims name on it, as we know. And if they can hook enough of them to keep playing/spending and make a profit, that is their goal.

On one hand, at least console players might not be abandoned, even when they made TS4 almost-clone port to console. Though, as everything goes with EAs deceitful PR and visions, it might be just another we-said-it-doesn’t-mean-we’ll-stick-with-it” scenario.

EA’s is trying to mobile-ize everything, so more profit. Of course they disguise it with “we did this as we trying to be inclusive to all system players blah blah blah we are global blah blah blah so we like players to connect with one another blah blah blah”.

There’s no logic with EA. Their logic is in the pudding (money vault). EA is equivalent to Mr. Krabs: if somebody tells them or themselves think it will make money, then they will be on the idea. Whether customer likes the food and experience at crusty krabs, its irrelevant unless money is prevelant.

That is exactly their logic. As you say, to make $$$$$$. That is the goal. That is why they are in business.

They can make all the mobile games they want. There is only so much debt a person can run up from macrotransactions plus all other crap that is being slapped on credit cards before any given bank sez "Yeah, no!" There is almost 1.4 trillion ( not a typo) dollars of credit card debt in the US alone. Granted not all of that is video game spending, but it is interesting how people are so confused about why EA and their ilk act the way they do.

If people stopped acting like outsourced assets in video games were somehow life altering and abandoned the ginormous ring of FOMO, EA wouldn't be able to lead people around by the nose ring. Neither will ever happen of course, but the EA situation isn't as complicated as people love to make it out to be.

I think for Sims individuals generally do not run up huge debt due to it or spend anywhere to the level of games where there are whales who spend IMO ridiculous amounts on games. I played one game on my ipad a bit and tossed them a few simoleans, but there were a few people giving them a few hundred grand. We knew who one was, a former GM exec, and he could afford it and wanted to do it. Even if I could afford there is no way I would spend that on a game.

I think you are totally right about FOMO for way too many, and EA knows that. I think they are looking for quantity in terms of spenders. Many small to middle spenders can rack up a huge total amount for them, and I think that is the goal.

It makes sense that EA and gaming companies love mobile games as disgusting as they are. People don't pay attention to what they're doing or spending. Those in the world of finance blame this on the 'lack of friction' for these transactions. In other words, if a person had to physically hand over money for digital do-dads, they wouldn't do it, but because people keep their credit card info on their phones, it's $5.00 here, $10.00 there and so on.

I don't have any personal experiences with this. My phone sits in a drawer, shut off ( not in airplane mode or stand-by) until I need it. Anywho, I do have a real life example. It isn't sims related, but it makes my point. The YT link is queued to where the person being 'audited' talks about how she keeps buying gems...

33-Year-Old With More Debt Than Anyone Should Ever Have | Financial Audit

https://youtu.be/TfZ-Rxw34o8?feature=shared&t=355

It's a cauldron of mess. Gaming companies taking advantage while making their games look like slot machines, people dodge any kind of personal responsibility for their mindless spending, blah, blah, blah.

This is very true and for way too many of us including me. Most people do not tally how much they spend at Starbucks or on smokes or whatever. I have been irritated at myself at the last few credit card statements. The totals spent have been way too high. Too many fairly small purchases.... that then add up to yikes! The small amounts are not painful when spent, but when we see what the accumulation brings, reality sets in.

New simulation game is being developed at EA called Project Dolores. In the job listings it is stated that one must gain depth of knowledge of The Sims and EA’s current game technology as a requirement for the job.

Project Dolores sounds kind of interesting, but this could be a spinoff game or maybe even TS5 while Project Rene is like an online version of TS.

That sounds interesting, I hope this one turns out to be a good game!

Who are the target market for these games? Simmers are expected to support 4, Rene, and now Dolores?

We are in a recession, EAxis.

I know I'll very likely be disappointed with whatever they reveal Dolores to be but I'll hold up a teeny tiny amount of hope for it, please EA/Maxis, don't let me down for the n:th time! I've been waiting for a new good Sims game since the Sims 2!

Thanks for sharing! I personally am all in for either - a new game sounds exciting as does the prospect of separating the online version of TS. Despite their sell-out like tendencies over the past few years and blatant ignorance of what the community wants - The Sims franchise still has me hook line and sinker

Could have as well be (I suspect) Project Renee but under a different name as it might have been cancelled for failing to meet promises, for as all I (don’t) care. Not sure what’s there to be happy anyways about another side exprimenral micro mobile game, since it’s not like they’re coating a spin off like Medeival or Castaway remasters (or at least that of much better upgrades).

P.S. Not sure if its my phone or what, but I was contemplating not even attemting to leave this comment for a second time, because the first time posting lead me to errored page and it didnt save as a draft. MTS maintenance, are you aware of this?

I was thinking the same thing, but if it isn't that, it is going to be interesting watching them trying to juggle TS4, Project Nay-Nay and this new one. Project Nay-Nay was supposed to be the all-in-one sidekick to TS4. Multi-player, free to enter, across all platforms, blah, blah, blah. Why would they need something to go along with that? I suppose there could be a spin-off in there somewhere, but considering how Andrew Wilson has been shedding crocodile tears over yet another round of layoffs and such, the timing feels strange to invest in a spin-off.

The weird mojo vibes could be just a me thing as there has been weird crap going on in real life for weeks that I haven't been able to make heads or tails of. Instead of doing my usual thing which is try to figure the shit out, I've taken the path of least resistance and have been reading books instead. Less screen time, less bullshit and if I don't like what I'm reading, I can drop the book off at the library.

Actually, I just worked it out. "Delores" in Simlish translates to "Day-one DLC." So then Project Day-One DLC is for Project Rene's release day. Which is all very sad quite literally. As, coincidentally, Delores translated to English is pain, sorrow or sadness. (From "Dolor.") Practially, nay, LITERALLY screaming at you not to get your hopes up. So it all comes full circle in that all too familiarly bland and cash-grabby EAxis way.

Ah, the ongoing Greek tragedy odyssey of EAxis and The Sims. Again, coincidentally enough, Homer's character Odysseus' name translates to Man/he of endless/bottomless sadness. Hence the great Soggy Bottom Boys related song "Man of Constant Sorrow." But enough of all the sadness. One never knows if Maxis could ever turn it all around and make us all happy once again, with something to sing joyous about. With all the competition soon sailing on the horizon, they'd blooming-well better.

Project Dolores: This list is satire although Maxis could learn a thing or two from it.

Maxis will state up front that there will be over 70 DLC upon release. You want seasons? You can have them, but you'll have to pay $20.00 for each one.

Instead of sims clapping when a sim dies, the sims in the household or around said dying sim will be sad.

Standing around in urine puddles will not be allowed.

There will no longer be tiny text disclaimers on pack promos or ads. Instead they will use actual game footage and what is shown will actually be in said pack.

Sims that engage in incest will be called out by other sims. There will be no points in sleeping around with Father Winter regardless of a sims age.

Sims will no longer be able to have a baby within 5 minutes of meeting each other.

The sims franchise will return to its roots and will include time management vs being what it is today which is a fish bowl game.

Sims will no longer be able to go from having nothing to becoming millionaires just from painting.

Mac and Cheese will look like something edible instead of vomit. Along the same lines, lettuce on a sandwich will look like lettuce instead of pour-able green slime.

Maxis will accept that names Nighat Caliente is not a bad word. https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Nighat_Caliente

Maxis will keep their politics to themselves until they accept that Nighat Caliente is not a bad word.

I'm having way too much fun with this; I need to stop.

Gargoyle, you forgot to mention sims will call out police on yamachan as you soon he walks through the front door before he can’t reach the kitchen. (Oh and burglars will exist like they do irl). In dolores, Sims won’t be playing games and won’t take funny business from other Sim poor ai autonomy excuse xD

Yamachan is the least of Maxis' issues. I honestly don't see how TS4 is going to last for years from now. The metaphorical cracks in TS4's Swiss cheese 'foundation' are popping up all over the place.

All day today there has been endless grumping about all the new bugs that have shown up since the last update. Everybody keeps asking if packs are even being tested or not, but nobody seems to want to check the credits of the new pack to see if there is any testers listed or not.

The Sims 4 is an absolute broken mess

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-zqkkFUDBA

THE DUMPSTER FIRE (The Sims 4) GETS WORSE!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxtHzhE3QaY

The Sims 4 Is In The Worst State It's Ever Been In... THIS IS BAD!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNFSXrec5Zw

New Game Breaking Bugs (Sims 4 Patch & Crystal Creations)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7VeoCHxf3Q

Somehow Project Nay-Nay and now Delores is going to be better? Alrighty then...

Catching up on this thread, rodiek is gone? *insert crab emoji* Took them / him long enough. Hopefully his next employer won't put up with his antics and will keep him reined in. (Hopefully he won't even be considered for one of the Sims competitors.) Maybe rodiek started out with good ideas and passion for the series, but by TS4, he became a tyrant.

I'm just here to watch the TS4 successor trainwreck.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

https://www.ign.com/wikis/disney-dr...eamlight_Valley




Project Nay Nay

https://youtu.be/rnlstHB_n_8?feature=shared&t=340

I wonder who Maxis plans on marketing Project Nay Nay to? Looks like Gen Alpha...

New TS5 leaks!

TS5 might have physics and you can also stretch objects like lamps to your will.

That looks really good.

I am also impressed, especially because of the physics part. I imagine that we might get animated hair and animated clothes, which would be super nice. It would be just like Paralives. If the gameplay is as good as buy mode apparently is, this would be like a redemption from TS team.

The physics do look nice. Still, when looking at the image from the outside, the textures seems to be the same style as in Sims 4. To me that is a hard pass because it looks too childish. The characters have the same overly comical expressions, as well, with the eyebrows and all. I had hoped that EA would have gone with more realistic approach this time but it doesn't seem to be the case. I also think that there won't be open world or CAW. I would like to be happily surprised, though.

Well I hope he's not planning to join Rod Humble on Life By You!

Another set of TS5 leaks!

The 3d models look a lot more detailed that those in TS4. The player will also be able to manipulate textures of objects as well as patterns. It is similar to the TS3, but it is much better.

These Sims look like the ugly lovechild of Sims 3 and 4 featuring the worst characteristics of both, more ugly clay hair from 4 and pudding faces from 3. What a time to be alive /s But hey, at least it looks like the clothes will have texture and detailed normalmaps, that's something.

Sorry if I'm sounding salty (I literally am though!) but I really hoped they'd go for something little bit more realistic this time and this isn't that at all. Not saying I'm surprised by this at all since apparently people really love how Sims 3 and 4 look like, I'm just unfortunately not a huge fan of either.

I do not mind cartoony graphics if implementing them means that the developers are not lazy. For example, TS4 does that with those horrible pink trees and models of birds. TS4 does have an interesting style though. The worlds are especially beautiful, but they are very small.

TS5 is still early in development which means that everything is subject to change. That includes 3d models as well. Paralives is a good example of that. The 3d models look so different now and the team is still improving them.

Today I dreamt that Will Right released a Sims game as technically TS5 but it was with TS1 graphics and a remastered version, and that LGR had a review out for it, feeling the reception was that of the new City Skyliness, where while there are improvements, still isn’t revolutionary, groundbreaking or gives exactly what people yearn for a new game. Too bad I forgot what the name was.

Here is an article announcing the possibility of TS5 being cancelled (only the PS5 version at the moment). These are just rumors though, but, considering the leaks from both TS4 expansion packs and TS5 development, I would not be surprised if this comes true.

I find the TS5 rumor confusing. Are they talking about a actual TS5 or are they talking about Project Nay-Nay? I suppose it doesn't matter either way, but there still hasn't been any word on what Project Delores is and I'm curious.

Another gameplay leak!

I do not like what I see at all.

So, instead of focusing on testing the core Sims experience (create a sim, eat, sleep, poop, interact, socialize, work, shop, build), testers get thrift shopping and working as a barista? And players rent apartments?

It almost feels insulting. The Sims used to have aspirational qualities being a representation of consumerism, but it has quickly turned into a parody of Millenial life.

As much as I liked The Urbz, I respect it despite its build limitations. Even Bustin Out let you construct actual lots. The areas pictured aren’t even interiors, so what does that say about the future of Renee?

Let me guess… purchasing a home will be DLC? This isn’t even build like it wants to replace TS4 at some point. It feels like a very expensive way to keep me playing TS4, but I’m slowly moving away from this as well…

…Maxis?

It is Sims Mobile all over again.

The following video is roughly 6 years old. EA announced that Sims Mobile would no longer be getting updates in Jan of this year. Now that announcement makes sense...

The Sims Mobile- The COMPLETE Barista Career & Story!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g-AglPeNu4

"Virtual currency" *shudders*

"....and the graphics and features are expected to evolve and get improved during the development line. Hopefully." That's good, I thought I needed new glasses!

On the up side, if the graphics ARE as fuzzy as that it will making finding the endless collectibles more challenging!

I don’t care about the graphics so much given this is meant to be mobile and pc compatible.

It’s the gameplay. “Meet 5 people.”

Somewhere does the pipeline, The Sims evolved from a Do What You Want game to being spoon fed checklists. Even The Sims 2 was more of a soft guide for fulfilling wants to make Sims happy, which was a combination of their personality and player directed goals for the Sim.

It established a baseline and eventually gave players long term goals, but it was on a Sim-To-Sim basis.

Years ago, a game would dump you in a hub like this and the things to do were obvious. Have attention spans gotten so low we need to tell players what to do at all times?

EA is trying to KILL THE SIMS!!

Capitals and exclamation marks are not mine; I am just an uninvolved (but not disinterested) observer of the mess that is getting crazier and crazier by the day. I've seen other companies getting too greedy for their own good, but I can think of none that lost their direction so completely.

There are so many technological advancements today that TS5 could have been one of the best sequels in the entire TS series. EA completely blew it. They could have redeemed themselves and they could have also brought back lost fans of the series.

Who asked for a movie, MySims or another mobile game? Their excuses are just lousy! I would gladly give up my TS2 and TS4 save files if TS5 was amazing.

Don't know if anyone posted Clints reply to the Sims 5 news. But I think this is pretty perfect response.



https://youtu.be/n2pctQYDu0I?si=VTOhvSpkgvLEAKaQ


I was trying to imbed the video so you didn't have to go to YouTube... but it wont work