A video claiming to be from the next installment of The Sims has surfaced online, sparking concern among fans about the future of the beloved franchise. Dubbed Project Rene, this project has been rumored to be The Sims 5, though EA has clarified that Project Rene is a separate spin-off. The buzz around Project Rene has intensified with the leak of early access footage from a game titled "City Life Game With Friends," leading many to speculate that this could be the next Sims game.

The leaked video, lasting a full 20 minutes, showcases a player navigating through text prompts to customize their character's appearance and activities. The player then enters a sunlit Plaza de Poupon, where they purchase food and interact with other characters. Later, the player works at an outdoor café. Throughout the video, characters are referred to as Sims, communicate in Simlish, and sport the iconic Plumbob, further fueling speculation about its connection to The Sims series.

"EA clearly wants to kill off normal Sims games and push people toward the mobile-style experience. So in their mind, a reboot literally means this — at least that’s what I THINK."

"This is not going to be for me, I can tell already," another user stated. "It just seems so basic and I don't want to play The Sims on my phone."

"The funny thing is, making a PC/mobile cross-compatible Sims game isn't a bad idea," suggested a fan. "EA just believes that mobile games HAVE to be ugly for some reason. They're chasing all of the design trends of the past decade, but it means that this thing already looks dated and it's not even out yet."

"The way The Sims was a literally [sic] satire about capitalist suburban consumption-as-happiness... And this is where the Sims ended up. Endless consumption-as-happiness," another fan remarked.

Project Rene, initially rumored to be The Sims 5 until EA clarified otherwise, was first teased in 2022 during a Behind the Sims Summit. It's a free-to-play game that incorporates multiplayer elements inspired by Animal Crossing and Among Us. Although it hasn't been officially revealed or given a release date, EA has been conducting small, invite-only playtests since its announcement, with the latest playtest likely being the source of these recent leaks.

The name "Rene" was chosen to symbolize "renewal, renaissance, and rebirth," reflecting the developers' commitment to a bright future for The Sims. However, last October, images from Project Rene leaked during a closed online test, leading to criticism regarding the art style, limited features, and the inclusion of microtransactions. The addition of a café, reminiscent of 2018's The Sims Mobile, drew particular skepticism. In response, EA reiterated that Project Rene is not The Sims 5 but a different "cosy, social game" under The Sims franchise.

Meanwhile, fans of the series were delighted to see the return of The Burglar in the latest update for The Sims 4, a nostalgic nod to the older games in the franchise.