Was The Sims 5 actually announced?

The short answer is no. 

Contrary to all of the various videos and tweets you may have seen, Maxis developers have not officially announced Sims 5.

Then what’s all the sudden to-do about the next iteration of the beloved franchise? This is what we know for sure:


During the Behind the Sims Summit (linked below), developers shared that there is in fact a team working on the next version of the ubiquitous life simulator. This ambitious project is lovingly code-named: The Sims Project Rene.

What does this mean?
Answer: This means there is a team actively working on the development of the next version of the game. It is unclear, however, if developers will name this version “The Sims 5.” 

What did we learn about Project Rene?

Answers:
A. Developers are  designing the game to work across multiple platforms. This will allow users the same experience across Mobile/Console/Computer platforms.
B. The team is and continues to listen to the community to build in top requested features such as the return of a color wheel, pattern customization, object sizing (stretching and pulling vs the current resize options)
C. Developers mentioned that this game will be designed to play WITH our friends, hinting at online connectivity.
D. Project Rene is many years away from being released, thus The Sims 4 will be around for years to come.

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Developers left a lot to Simmer imaginations, but in a move of unprecedented transparency, the team shared with us very early access "rough" footage to get an idea of their concept and direction.
Behind The Sims Summit Stream Event
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Below you will find several reaction videos and news videos to check out, so you can form your own opinions about Project Rene.

Let us know what you think of what you saw and what you hope comes with the next iteration in the comments below!

As a side note, we are personally thrilled about the continued development of The Sims 4 and can not wait to see what they've in store for us over the next 4-5 years while we wait for the next big release.

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And for a bit of joy in your day, please enjoy being “let in” on HipHipRenee’s little known secret about the whole project: ​

@hiphiprenee How cool is this?! #simtok #simstok #projectrene #simssatire ♬ The Sims 2 Theme - Mark Mothersbaugh & EA Games Soundtrack

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