The Sims 5 could be free-to-play, a job offer suggests

In late 2023, Electronic Arts confirmed that it was already working on the next installment of The Sims, currently known as Project Rene, which will be “the next generation of The Sims as a game and as a creative platform,” according to the franchise’s creative vice president, Lyndsay Pearson. Although we are still a long way from launch, a job posting revealed that the game could be “free to enter.”

According to a job posting that has been withdrawn by EA but is still available on the Wayback Machine, Project Rene is looking for a Head of Monetization and Marketplace. Among the responsibilities, it is highlighted that the game will have a content marketplace and UGC (free and paid), as well as that this title will be “free-to-enter”.

As Sims Community points out, those who discovered this job offer mention that this is not the first time Electronic Arts has used this monetization method, having had great success with Apex Legends. However, it is also mentioned that this could lead The Sims franchise to have more microtransactions, or even take it to a subscription-based service.

The Sims 5: Following in the footsteps of the current version?

One thing that is clear is that if there is this change in the business model of the new installment of The Sims, it does not come out of nowhere. Last October 2022, after 8 years of its launch, The Sims 4 became a free-to-play title on all the consoles where it is available (PC, Xbox and PlayStation). This change was made in order for the studio to be “more dedicated than ever to creating new and meaningful experiences for the game” as they continue to “develop Sims packs, kits and express releases for the foreseeable future.”

There is still a long way to go to know more details about The Sims 5, so we must continue to enjoy its current version. For more The Sims 4 information, make sure to check all the cheat codes of the game or which are the best mods on PC.

Source | Sims Community