New leaked images from the Project Rene playtest - which many believe to be The Sims 5 - have revealed more about the game's design mechanics.
A new set of leaked images from The Sims 5 playtests have revealed more about the game's building mechanics. Playtests for Project Rene - which many players believe to be the next mainline entry in the franchise - began a few weeks ago, and players have already begun sharing their experiences online. While it hasn't been officially confirmed that Project Rene is indeed The Sims 5, the two have essentially become synonymous within the Sims fandom.
A new Reddit post from user MeowDayThe13th (via SimsCommunity) - whose account has since been deleted - shows images from the Sims 5 playtests a few lucky players began participating in late last month. The pictures show the interior of an apartment, a list of items than can be placed, and the exteriors of several in-game buildings. Tutorial screens can also be seen, detailing how player-created furniture can be found in one menu and Maxis items in another. These tutorials also reveal that every piece can be customized by players, and they provide instructions on how users can share their work with others. There is also a Help button that can be utilized to explain the game's features.
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These new shots from the purported Sims 5 illuminate a few new key details about the game. One of the biggest takeaways is that the upcoming title seems to be apartment based, as opposed to the home focus of previous mainline Sims titles. Although not one of the best Sims 4 Expansion Packs, City Living did introduce the fun concept of apartments to the current generation just as The Sims 2: Apartment Life did almost a decade before. Until now, though, the lot type has been relegated to DLC, and hasn't been the default for the series.
While this is an interesting detail about Project Rene's direction, something that stands out even more is what hasn't been included in the current playtest, or any Sims 5 footage shown, for that matter: Sims themselves. This omission was already known before playtests even began, as the description for the pre-alpha version offered to players specified that it would focus on the game's Workshop mode. However, the lack of emphasis on Sims has led some players to speculate that Project Rene probably isn't The Sims 5, and is instead a spin-off title completely centered around design.
This theory about Project Rene is furthered by the fact that the game will be cross-platform, allowing it to be played on mobile devices or the computer. Due to the struggles a phone would have running a game as complex as The Sims 5 - just as it would The Sims 4 - the ability for Project Rene to be played on either machine has players dubious about the game's overall complexity. However, whether Project Rene is The Sims 5 or not, these new images show that the title will contain what might be the most robust design system the series has seen yet.
Next: Sims 5 Build Options EA Should Include Next
Source: MeowDayThe13th/Reddit (via SimsCommunity)
Deven McClure is a Senior Gaming Writer covering news, reviews, features, and interviews for Screen Rant, specializing in the simulation genre. A lifelong lover of video games, she began writing for Screen Rant in 2021. When she's not working, you can undoubtedly find her playing her latest video game obsession - most likely something with farming and crafting. She's been playing games since early childhood, first becoming obsessed with Animal Crossing for the Gamecube at 8 years old, and has loved learning about them ever since. Originally from California where she studied arts and child development, Deven moved to New York in 2017. After her move, she attended Gotham Writing School with a focus on article and television writing. She now lives in Brooklyn with her boyfriend and cats, Timmy and Tommy - named after the two adorable Animal Crossing characters, of course.