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In brief: The Sims 4 reached its 10th birthday this month and remains EA's flagship entry in the iconic 24-year-old franchise. The company has reiterated its plans to continue supporting the Sims 4 content users have invested in while experimenting with alternative products, including a movie aiming to harness the energy that made Barbie successful in theaters.
Maxis recently provided a detailed update on its plans for the Sims franchise. While it doesn't offer much new information on the upcoming game codenamed Project Rene, the studio teased significant changes for modding and EA's plans for a Sims film adaptation.
Project Rene, the next entry in the Sims series, has been in development for years, but Maxis stresses that it won't be called The Sims 5 and promises it won't replace The Sims 4. Rene, which the company previously confirmed would be free to play, will receive a limited invite-only playtest later this year. Maxis vaguely describes the project as a way for users to connect in an all-new shared world.
Some Project Rene features might appear in The Sims Labs, an insider program where the company explores new ideas for the franchise. Some of these additions might appear in other Sims games in the coming months, and those interested can sign up on EA's playtesting page.
The studio told Variety it will continue supporting The Sims 4 with expansions and other content updates, building on a decade of player experiences and creations. One huge component of this initiative is The Sims Creator Program, through which EA will officially publish user-made mods, making them available to console users. Modders who enroll in the Creator Program also receive early access to upcoming expansions.
Despite its age, The Sims 4 doesn't have any serious competitors. PUBG publisher Krafton is currently preparing inZoi, a life simulation game that observers have compared to The Sims, though it exhibits far more realistic and demanding graphics using Unreal Engine 5.
Meanwhile, EA confirmed that Barbie star Margot Robbie's LuckyChap production company is producing a movie adaptation of The Sims with help from Amazon MGM Studios. Kate Herron, known for Loki and the television adaptation of The Last of Us, will direct and co-write the movie with Briony Redman.
The Sims movie will contain nods to numerous iconic elements of the games, like freezer bunnies, pools without ladders, and more. The producers haven't finalized distribution plans, so while EA hopes for a theatrical release, there's always the chance it might premiere on a streaming service.