Summary
The Simshas made a significant impact to the life simulation genre in gaming. Since the release of the first game in 2000, it has evolved from simply taking care of virtual families to utilizing the newer titles' unique features to craft stories. TheSimsfranchise has also inspired many fans to createcustomSimscontent, ranging from home pieces, clothing, and beauty elements to diversify the experience further.
With over two decades of releases,The Simshas shown no signs of stopping. Revealed during the Behind The Sims Summit almost a year ago, Maxis Studios revealed that it was working on what seemed to be a fifthSimsgame, which it calledProject Rene. Since the announcement, the developer has continued to refer to this new game asProject Rene, raising suspicions that it might be a spin-off andnot exactlyThe Sims 5. This has also raised the question of why the game is calledProject Renein the first place.
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The Meaning Behind the “Project Rene” Name
It’s common practice in the gaming world to use placeholder names for games in early development.Project L, for example, is the name ofRiot Games' upcoming fighting gameinspired by its hit MOBA gameLeague of Legends. Maxis’Project Reneis no different. During last year’s Behind The Sims Summit, Lyndsay Pearson, the vice president of franchise creative forThe Simsteam, said that theProject Renename was meant to signify a renaissance and rebirth. These represented the dev team’s renewed commitment forThe Sims' bright future. It’s safe to assume that “Rene” could be a short version of “renaissance” or “renewal.”
It’s an apt name for agame that’s described as the next generation ofThe Sims. It’s been confirmed thatProject Renewill a highly detailed customization tool for object design called Workshop, which will give players a wide array of options for colors, textures, patterns, and more. The game will also allow players to choose apartments, so it’s possible that this feature will be available in the base game and not included in a DLC. There’d been discussions online on whetherProject Renewould be an open-world game or not. What is certain though is that it will allow multiplayer gameplay that opens up collaborations among players.
Probably the most important feature thatProject Renewill have iscross-platform support. Maxis detailed thatProject Renewill be free-to-play on PC and mobile, and that players will be able to access their virtual homes via mobile. It’s a cool feature that will allow them to check on their Sims and redesign their homes while they’re on the go. Since it will be free-to-play, it’s possible that players would only have to pay for expansion pack, using the same modelThe Sims 4adopted since the base game officially became free to download last year.
These are just some of theProject Renefeatures that have been revealed so far, andThe Simsfans can expect more in the coming months as development and playtesting continue. The latter has been important in gathering constructive feedback from avid players to makeProject Rene’s gameplay experience as seamless as possible. The next reveals should detailchanges in character creation, confirmation on its open-world mechanic, and possible new features exclusive toProject Rene. If expectant fans are lucky, perhaps an official release date or window will be shared.
Considering the innovations being made withProject Rene, it might take a couple more years before it can officially launch. But based on what people know now, it’s already clear that Maxis is sticking to its promise of bringing a refreshing change befitting of aThe Simsrenaissance. Whether it surpasses the legacy ofpreviousThe Simstitlesremains to be seen.
The Sims 5is currently in development.
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