The Sims 5 is nowhere near its release date yet, but we are already excited to learn anything we can about EA’s upcoming simulation game. Whether that information is about how The Sims 5‘s world will work or how its Sims will interact with one another, we Simmers are all ears. EA sat down for a Behind The Sims look at Project Rene yesterday, detailing what the developers are aiming to do to set the new entry apart from its predecessors. While not specified in the showcase, a new job listing for a role on The Sims 5 project has just come up, and it looks like the game may be free on launch.
After the base game for The Sims 4 went free almost a year ago, many of us have speculated about EA’s plans for the next game and whether or not it would similarly be free-to-play. Following the recent Behind The Sims showcase, an eye-catching ad for a job with EA was posted and it may confirm our suspicions. The listing is for a Head of Marketplace and Monetization role on Project Rene, the codename for The Sims 5. What stands out is the job’s detailed responsibilities, as the new game is referred to as “free-to-enter.”
Another section under the listed responsibilities mentions that the potential candidate will “Own Project Rene’s in-game marketplace of content and UGC (free and paid), and manage a data-informed player-centric player purchase journey – maximizing value to players, optimizing player spend patterns, and minimizing player churn.” Not only does this imply The Sims 5’s base game will be free-to-play, but it also insinuates that there will be optional paid content.
It isn’t clear whether The Sims 5 will function like a live service game with optional microtransactions or subscriptions for access to additional content. The “and paid” bit on the ad could also be in reference to expansion packs or other similar paid DLC. If that’s the case, The Sims 5 will run a lot like The Sims 4 does.
With The Sims 4 Horse Ranch coming soon, we have a lot to be excited about while we wait for the fifth game. If you too are a certified Sims stan, then you should have a look through some of our other favorite life games to play with more digital dollhouses. You can also browse through a few of the best sandbox games if you want to get your creativity flowing. For more Sims-specific content, be sure to check out the greatest Sims 4 mods to spice up your gameplay for free.