Summary
A former Maxis Studios employee has suggested that at least one version ofThe Sims 5has been canceled. The overall fate ofThe Sims 4sequel remains unclear.
Thenext entry inThe Simsfranchise was first teased asProject Renein October 2022. While originally describing it as “the next generation” of the series, Electronic Arts had also insisted that the game wasn’t meant to replaceThe Sims 4, having instead suggested that it was envisioned as a different kind of experience, not least because it was in development for everything from PC and consoles to mobile devices. The publisher has yet to outright confirm thatProject ReneandThe Sims 5, which fans have also long suspected to be in the works, are one and the same.
The Sims 5 PS5 Version Allegedly Canceled
Whatever the case may be, at least one aspect ofThe Sims 5project has allegedly been canceled, according to a recently uncovered LinkedIn profile of a former Maxis employee. Unearthed by Twitter userSimmerBerkay, the profile’s experience section states that the staffer worked as a lead character artist at Maxis over a three-year period ending in spring 2024, during which they contributed to the PS5 version ofThe Sims 5. However, they listed that project as canceled.
While SimmerBerkay did not reveal the original source of this claim, a follow-up investigation by Game Rant has identified a US-based character artist as the owner of the profile in question. The artist’s LinkedIn page mentions that the purportedly canceled game was being made with Epic’s Unreal Engine 5. SinceProject Renehas been all but confirmed to use the same engine, this tidbit offers some circumstantial evidence strengthening the theory that these two are—or were—one and the same.
The exact timing of the purported cancellation is currently unclear. The artist left Maxis in April 2024, so that’s ostensibly the latest point at which he could have been made aware of the project getting shelved. Neither EA nor Maxis have offered an official update on the state of the upcoming game since 2023 whenProject Renewas still looking for playtesters. One related piece of news did emerge in January 2024, when it was announced that Grant Rodiek, a key figure inThe Simsdevelopment team, had left Maxis and EA. The industry veteran cited a desire to try something new that “challenges” him as the reason for his decision to depart from the studio.
The fate ofThe Sims 5hence remains up in the air. One possible explanation for the artist’s cancellation claim is that Maxis merely scrapped the PS5 version of the game and that it’s still planning to bring it to other platforms. In the meantime,The Simsdeveloper is currently also working on a game code-namedProject Dolores, according to some of its recent job listings.
The Sims 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Unleash your imagination and create a unique world of Sims that’s an expression of you. Download for free, and customize every detail from Sims to homes and much more. Choose how Sims look, act, and dress, then decide how they’ll live out each day. Design and build incredible homes for every family, then decorate with your favorite furnishings and décor. Travel to different neighborhoods where you can meet other Sims and learn about their lives. Discover beautiful locations with distinctive environments and go on spontaneous adventures. Manage the ups and downs of Sims’ everyday lives, and see what happens when you play out scenarios from your own real life. Tell your stories your way while developing relationships, pursuing careers and life aspirations, and immersing yourself in this extraordinary game, where the possibilities are endless
