How to Play The Sims Project Rene Early: Full Playtest Information

Three years on from its initial reveal in October 2022, The Sims: Project Rene has entered a playtest phase, with the possibility for Sims fans to be a part of it.

The Project Rene playtest is not a test of The Sims 5, as Rene is a separate project, but it will allow testers to see what Electronic Arts is working on, as well as to try out Project Rene’s gameplay ahead of its public release.

Below, we’ll show you how you can potentially be involved in the playtest and provide some key information about how to play Project Rene, the apparent future of The Sims.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. How to Play The Sims Project Rene Early
3. When is The Sims Project Rene Playtest?
4. What is The Sims Lab?
5. What is The Sims: Project Rene?
6. The Bottom Line
7. FAQs
8. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. How to Play The Sims Project Rene Early
3. When is The Sims Project Rene Playtest?
Show Full Guide
4. What is The Sims Lab?
5. What is The Sims: Project Rene?
6. The Bottom Line
7. FAQs
8. References

How to Play The Sims Project Rene Early

There is only one way to play The Sims Project Rene early: as part of the playtest occurring during Fall 2024. On September 17, the playtest was revealed, with testers having the chance to play via The Sims Lab.

However, The Sims Lab Project Rene playtest is only open to registered EA playtesters. Therefore, it is important to sign up to become a playtester if you want to try out Project Rene early.

There’s only one way to play Project Rene early, so don’t miss out.

When is The Sims Project Rene Playtest?

The Sims Project Rene playtest will occur in the Fall of 2024. This was confirmed in a September 17 post on the Electronic Arts The Sims sub-site. The post also mentioned the testing of new features for The Sims Project Rene. However, there was no mention of any specific Project Rene playtest date. Similarly, the exact start date of a Project Rene release date is unknown.

Despite it being in development for some years, specifics are still hard to come by, and until an official announcement, details such as Project Rene’s system requirements, full feature set, and confirmed platforms are uncertain.

What is The Sims Lab?

Announced in August 2024, The Sims Lab is a sort of collective test bed for potential playtests of The Sims content. In a The Sims Labs introduction post, EA stated, “Our team has been working on so many new ways to play The Sims and it’s time to open the doors to The Sims Labs”.

Calling The Sims Labs a learning laboratory, it is a testing ground being used by developers into which players can be brought to engage with and provide feedback on features and updates.

The post also suggests The Sims Labs will explore new “experimental ways to play The Sims” as well as innovation for “products, systems and features”, which undoubtedly would include Project Rene’s focus on creating and sharing across The Sims player base.

What is The Sims: Project Rene?

Previously thought of as The Sims 5, but since disassociated from the term as it won’t be a traditional sequel, Project Rene is reportedly a new update or way of engaging with the world of The Sims. Per leaks and reports, it is a primarily mobile game but is also believed to be available on PC.

According to Lyndsay Pearson, Maxis franchise lead for The Sims, the name Rene comes from a sense of the words “renewal, renaissance, rebirth”. This alone would suggest The Sims Project Rene will bring a change to the way players engage with The Sims, and available Project Rene leaks have suggested just that. Initial leaks have also said that the initial gameplay for Rene takes place in a “Parisian” neighborhood, which adds further context to the name.

The new project appears to prioritize collaborative and multiplayer gaming, rewards, and new features. This is a departure from an expected clean-cut sequel, and so it makes sense that ‘The Sims 5’ is no more. This was further shown on September 17, when EA discussed The Future of The Sims Franchise.

EA showed that The Sims 4 will be the foundation of any future growth strategy, negating the need for a further sequel. Alongside this, Project Rene is called a completely new Sims experience in which players can “connect, create and socialize together like never before”.

While what has been seen of leaks of Project Rene gameplay seem to confirm this, it’s certainly a divisive new approach for franchise fans. Multiplayer, online, and social gaming is one thing, but a proportion of The Sims fanbase still wants The Sims 5 even though EA previously confirmed that Project Rene is free-to-play.

The Bottom Line

A small and select The Sims Project Rene playtest is taking place during Fall 2024. To gain access to the playtest taking place in The Sims Lab, players will need to be registered on EA’s Playtesting site. Details about the playtest are limited, although leaks have disclosed some information.

The Project Rene playtest is not for The Sims 5, which has been dropped by EA and Maxis. Project Rene brings a new way to play and connect in The Sims universe, where users can create, connect, and share in what seems like a new collaborative direction for the franchise.

FAQs