Electronic Arts is for portal Variety confirmed that The Sims 5 will not be released. This decision surprised many fans, but the company has clear reasons why they decided to take this step.
According to Kate Gorman, head of The Sims brand, Electronic Arts wants to allow players to continue playing with their existing families and generations in the free-to-play The Sims 4. "We want players to continue playing with the families and generations they've created. Those creations are the player's progress in the game, their connection to that game. We don't want to reset that progress with a new game," Gorman said.
Instead of a new sequel, Electronic Arts thus plans to upgrade The Sims 4 and develop new projects such as a special online multiplayer spinoff codenamed Project Rene and a film adaptation. Project Rene, which was previously considered a potential The Sims 5, will actually be a multiplayer title that will allow friends and connections of fans of The Sims series around the world.
Although the news of The Sims 5 not being released disappointed fans of the series around the world, some players expressed relief. The reason for this is that Electronic Arts will now be able to focus on improving and expanding existing content, instead of starting a new The Sims next gen project from scratch.
The decision not to release a new full-blooded sequel may seem controversial, but the company's executives believe that this is the best way to maintain the longevity and quality of the series. With upcoming updates and new projects, the future of The Sims looks bright, even without a new sequel.
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