Back in October,The Simsdeveloper Maxis announced “Project Rene,” the next main installment in the franchise. It should be noted that Maxis has never publicly saidThe Sims 5,but everyone basically knows that’s exactly what this is, even if it moves away from being a numbered sequel. Onlysparse details aboutThe Sims 5have been publicly stated, such as the inclusion of solo, co-op, and cross-play; improved room customization, as well as more furniture options; a multiplayer build-and-buy mode, letting players customize a building at the same time; and so on.
Since this announcement,gameplay photos ofThe Sims 5have leaked online, alpha playtests have gone out, and the game has even been pirated. It ultimately remains to be seen how muchThe Sims 5differs from the last game, which is perhaps one of the biggest things fans are looking at, and how it breaks new ground for the franchise. If not in content, it’s worth highlighting howThe Sims 5has already broken one tradition.
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The Sims 5 and The Franchise’s Release Tradition
Some things in the industry follow noticeable patterns, whether this is in free game releases on PS Plus, marketing campaigns and showcase appearances, or even in news/release cycles. It’s not always easy to pinpoint, but development typically has a certain cadence in a studio (for better or worse, at times). Maxis is one of those where themainline games ofThe Simsfranchisefit into a neat little bubble: the originalSimscame out in 2000,The Sims 2came out in 2004,The Sims 3came out in 2009, andThe Sims 4came out in 2014. Looking at these entries in the franchise, it’s clear that there’s an every 4-5 year pattern among them.
Of course, Maxis' continued work,DLC, and updates onThe Sims 4have essentially all but ended this tradition.The Sims 4came out basically 8 years ago, not 4-5, andThe Sims 5was not effectively announced until this year. This means that it probably won’t release until some next year, if not the next, puttingThe Sims 5nearly, if not longer than, a decade away fromThe Sims 4.However, depending on the directionThe Sims 5takes, this could be a double-edged sword.
The good thing is such a pattern and tradition is inessential. It’s not like it takes longer is worse for the game; in fact, it’s probably good so that Maxis can really improve on the base format, expand the franchise, and make an entry as definitive asThe Sims 4. That’s a high bar to reach, and not being restricted to any particular release cadence (as Maxis is hopefully still not) allows for more innovation, iteration, and expansion. On the other hand, though, it creates a certain divide between what is perhaps a reality for the studio and fan expectations.The Sims 4has released a plethora of contentover the years, and ifThe Sims 5doesn’t match that beat-for-beat (like with animals, for just one example), it’s going to upset fans. Especially if it essentially amounts to them buying similar content all over again.
Again, it’s too early to know whatThe Sims 5will look like at launch, but hopefully moving away from such a performative cadence leads to only good things, not bad ones.
