It's not the news we wanted but it's what we expected: EA has finally admitted Project Rene is a 'mobile-first' game

I'm going to hold your hand when I say this: Project Rene is a mobile game. When EA first teased the next Sims game, we understandably thought the pretty new lighting engine shots it showed off meant we were looking at The Sims 5. After a couple agonizing years of leaks, silence, rumors, and speculation, EA has finally just admitted what we'd all figured out: Project Rene is a "social multiplayer" mobile game.

EA shared a news update about the future of The Sims series today, setting expectations for the new year. After spending a bit more time trying to calm fans down about the EA buyout we're understandably very wary of, it goes on to be, if not what I'd call transparent, then at least more clear than ever before about the relationship between The Sims 4 and Project Rene.

"Thanks to ongoing player feedback, Project Rene has evolved to focus on social multiplayer play, offering a more direct way for friends to share creativity together. It is not the successor to The Sims 4 and is a separate experience from any future deep, singleplayer life simulation experience. It introduces a new way to explore and play together within the growing Sims family of games, welcoming Simmers who want to connect directly with other players."

In case there was any remaining doubt that we're talking about the same online mobile game that we've been seeing leaked footage from for over a year, the image below, included in the post, is titled "SimsLabs_Rene2.png". This is the same little outdoor plaza where we've seen custom characters walking around completing small goals like decorating together or working shifts at a cafe.

Every time leaked images from these playtests make the rounds, fans are pretty bummed. Most of us don't really want a small mobile Sims game. Adding insult to injury, EA has ignored every leak so far and refused to give players any clarity on what we're seeing. So at least in that department, today is a relief.

What I find most interesting is that EA says "Project Rene has evolved" into this current state. It's almost an acknowledgement that we weren't out of line to believe that at one point this was The Sims 5 and got internally rebooted during development.

While Project Rene may not be what most of us wanted from a new Sims game, EA does also remind us that it's still "building a family of new Sims experiences across PC, console, and mobile," and that it's "committed to singleplayer life simulation experiences." The same blog post reveals that over half of the full Sims team is working on "The Sims 4 and the next evolution," though any transparency about what that means is coming months down the line, it says.

"In 2026 you can expect to hear more from us as we continue playtesting new ideas and experiences," it also says. Don't hold your breath though. It would be pretty in character if this is the only clear communication we get about The Sims series future for the rest of this year.