EA Shelves Its Mysterious Sims Project, and Players May Be Relieved

Electronic Arts has put one of its most unusual Sims projects on hold. Project Rene, also known internally as Project Lotus, was the working name for the next entry in the franchise, and it appears to be an MMO-style game built around online and mobile play. EA says the Sims team is redirecting its effort toward Project Evergreen instead.

The timing stings. In the same breath that EA announced BioWare's closure, it also reaffirmed its commitment to The Sims, Apex Legends, and Skate. The loss of BioWare also means the next Mass Effect, tentatively titled Mass Effect: Universe, is off the table. That has left fans of EA's other franchises asking whether their favorites are next, and The Sims is high on that list. EA described the Rene pause as "pausing work on one of the next titles in this franchise," a phrasing that few readers took as reassuring.

Still, the reaction from Sims players is more relief than alarm. Rene and Lotus seemed to be another attempt to rebuild The Sims Online, a concept EA has returned to several times without lasting success. The Sims 4 itself launched in rough shape partly because it was reworked toward online and mobile play late in development. Many longtime players have said they want a traditional digital dollhouse, not another experiment.

Project Evergreen is rumored to be a remaster of The Sims 4 that bundles most or all of its expansion packs and clears out many of the game's recurring bugs. Nothing about it has been officially detailed, and reports suggest the team is working toward a deadline. Moving resources onto it does not guarantee a strong result, and the quality of the final game will decide whether the plan works.

The bigger test may be the business model. The Sims 4 has more than 100 paid packs, which adds up to roughly $1,600 if every one is bought at full price. A complete, stable version could win back frustrated fans, but only if it arrives without a new wave of monetization on top. For now, many players see the move as the most sensible decision EA has made about the franchise in a long time, with the caveat that the company still has to follow through.