In late 2022, EA and Maxis re-released The Sims 4 as a free-to-play game, inviting hordes of uninitiated players into the Sims ecosystem for the first time. It appears this move may have been a test run, as a new job listing for The Sims 5 aka Project Rene indicates the upcoming game will also be a free-to-play title.
As spotted by SimsCommunity, Electronic Arts is currently on the hunt for a ‘Head of Monetisation & Marketplace’ for Project Rene, with individual responsibilities listed as:
- Own Project Rene’s in-game marketplace of content and [user-generated content] (free and paid), and manage a data-informed player-centric player purchase journey – maximising value to players, optimising player spend patterns, and minimising player churn.
- Own pricing of all content in this free-to-enter game, ensuring we have an optimal pricing and content architecture. Provide guidance to content teams on in-game content needs to meet player demand.
‘Free-to-enter’ is the key phrasing here, as it implies The Sims 5 will be free for all players in a basic or limited form.
Read: The Sims 5: New look at Project Rene shown off at Behind The Sims
The job advertisement does not provide clarity, but it may reveal the future direction of the upcoming game. As with The Sims 4, the basic version of The Sims 5 may be offered to everyone for free, whether on a permanent or temporary basis.
This could mean DLC and Expansion Packs will be the focus of this game, with regular content drops and new features provided in paid packs, or via microtransactions. The approach brings to mind Disney Dreamlight Valley, a fellow life simulator which will launch as a free title with paid elements once it exits early access.
An approach like this is typically reserved for addictive multiplayer and online games, but given the passion around The Sims franchise and its dedicated player base, it could certainly be sustained by new content packs, driven by fan interest.
For now, we await further word from EA as work on The Sims 5 continues. It has yet to officially confirm the game’s ‘free-to-enter’ status beyond the wording of this new job listing.
