The Sims 5 will be free to play

EA is putting the rumors to rest and finally confirming that The Sims 5 will be free-to-play.

Previously, a posting suggested that Project Rene (known as The Sims 5) would be free to play, or at least “free to enter.” It is expected that the game will have a market in order to earn something from the game.

The news was confirmed in an official behind-the-scenes video. However, it was immediately made clear that Project Rene would be different from what you’re used to in The Sims 4. For example, The Sims 5 won’t start with everything that’s already in The Sims 4, but EA will gradually add new features and content. They provide an example that core mechanics, such as a dynamic weather system, will be freely available to everyone, but then sell bundles based on that system. For example, a winter sports package could be issued that relies on the snow system.

It is also noteworthy that EA emphasizes that Project Rene is not a replacement for The Sims 4. Both games will continue to coexist and will continue to receive new content.

The Rene project is currently still very early in development, so don’t worry about the concrete details.