Although The Sims 4 continues to be thriving 10 years after it was initially launched, developer Maxis and writer Digital Arts are in lively improvement on Challenge Rene, the codename for what’s going to develop into the subsequent iteration of The Sims. Maxis is “very early on in improvement” of it, however is slowly beginning to share extra concerning the undertaking. Maybe most notably, Challenge Rene is just not The Sims 5.
However the recreation is way sufficient alongside that Maxis was in a position to host small playtests specializing in inside design and furnishings as early as 2022 — the identical 12 months the corporate introduced it was creating the sport. Maxis and Digital Arts intend to maintain that up, internet hosting small playtests all through the course of improvement. The subsequent playtest, a part of what Maxis is looking The Sims Labs, will concentrate on Challenge Rene’s multiplayer parts later this 12 months.
“That is how one of the best video games are made, working hand-in-hand with gamers,” recreation director Grant Rodiek wrote in 2023. “It’s such a invaluable device that may assist us make Challenge Rene really particular. However! — it’s a lengthy, concerned course of.”
To this point, the developer has revealed 4 separate movies that go over the most recent in Challenge Rene. The broadcasts are an surprising and clear means for Maxis to maintain gamers invested within the subsequent technology of The Sims. There’s nonetheless rather a lot to find out about Challenge Rene, together with the ever-important launch date, however we do know rather a lot. Most just lately, Digital Arts’ The Sims franchise vp Kate Gorman Revelli instructed Polygon that there received’t essentially be a The Sims 5 — Maxis and Digital Arts are shifting away from linear video games.
Why is it known as Challenge Rene?
Challenge Rene is the codename for the subsequent Sims recreation. Regardless of the title, it received’t keep Challenge Rene; codenames are normal within the trade. However the workforce selected this codename particularly as a result of it’s a mirrored image of phrases like “renewal, renaissance, rebirth,” stated Lyndsay Pearson, who leads The Sims franchise, in a Behind the Sims broadcast. “It represents our renewed dedication to The Sims,” she added.
When will Challenge Rene be launched?
Maxis and Digital Arts haven’t given a launch window for Challenge Rene — they’ve solely stated that it’s very early in improvement. You shouldn’t anticipate the sport to be launched for a pair years nonetheless, however there could also be alternatives for early entry durations, the most recent of which is scheduled for this 12 months.
“There’s a lot work remaining for Challenge Rene, although,” Grant stated in a weblog publish from 2023. “We nonetheless haven’t shared our Simulation experiences or character and clothes customization — to not point out new variations of house customization and extra social play experiences. All of this will likely be slowly stood up, shared, examined, tweaked, enhanced, lowered. And we intend to develop it hand-in-hand alongside our gamers.”
Is Challenge Rene free to play?
Maxis made The Sims 4 free to play in 2022, properly into the sport’s lifespan; The Sims 4 was launched in 2014. Challenge Rene will likely be free to obtain from the beginning, Pearson stated in an episode of Behind The Sims from September 2023.
“That signifies that when it’s prepared and absolutely open to our gamers, you’ll be capable to be part of, and play, and discover Challenge Rene with out a subscription, with out a core recreation buy or power mechanics,” Pearson stated. Challenge Rene, like The Sims 4, could have paid content material, however Pearson stated the brand new recreation’s content material distribution will likely be barely completely different. Her instance was climate — in The Sims 4, you wanted the $40 Seasons enlargement go to have any climate in any respect. However the subsequent iteration of the sport would include primary climate, and the paid content material would increase on that — so if snow was within the base recreation, the enlargement would allow you to ice skate or construct a snowman, she stated.
Pearson stated Maxis desires to “decrease these obstacles to play” to offer gamers entry to the broadest shared methods. Gorman Revelli instructed Polygon in September that the linear mannequin is vital to letting gamers cling on to every thing they’ve already bought with The Sims 4. That’s a part of the explanation why Challenge Rene isn’t The Sims 5 — Maxis doesn’t need to erase progress prefer it has prior to now.
Does Challenge Rene have multiplayer?
Challenge Rene could have multiplayer, however Rodiek tempered expectations in a Behind The Sims episode from January 2023. “Now, one factor to remember is that Challenge Rene is just not an MMO,” Rodiek stated. “It isn’t this public, shared area the place every thing you do is all the time with different individuals. You might play by yourself, in your phrases, after which once more, once you need in your phrases, you may invite others to come back and play with you.”
We’ll doubtless be taught extra about what the sport’s multiplayer will appear like after the upcoming playtest.
The place can I play Challenge Rene?
Maxis and Digital Arts haven’t confirmed precisely the place you’ll be capable to play Challenge Rene, simply that it’s coming to Home windows PC and cell. Not solely that, however there’ll be cross-save between the 2 choices: “With Challenge Rene, you’ll be capable to play on a PC, put it down, and decide up proper the place you left off on a cell system,” reads a weblog publish on the Digital Arts web site. The developer continues to be engaged on learn how to “tailor the experiences per platform,” which means how the sport modifications between PC and cell, if in any respect, because of efficiency on the platforms.
How will the gameplay change in comparison with The Sims 4?
Maxis and Digital Arts stated within the third Behind The Sims video from September 2022 that Challenge Rene will really feel “Simsy,” with gamers managing what their Sims do, “whereas additionally presenting gameplay decisions in a different way.” There hasn’t been a ton of knowledge on what that truly means, however some areas the place you may anticipate to see modifications are animation, visuals, socialization, and Sim routines.
“The imaginative and prescient for animation is pushed by the phrase, ‘learn the room,’ which suggests we wish gamers to know the way our Sims really feel, together with what they’re considering, simply by how they behave,” Maxis wrote on its weblog. “This implies we help quite a lot of attitudes, feelings and postures that must work throughout varied objects and socialization options.” The developer expects this to increase to routines, bettering on how Sims “dwell at dwelling and in a broader neighborhood.”
Relating to customization choices, you may anticipate extra element in every single place. The primary playtest was centered on furnishings customization and design, and the primary Behind The Sims reveals a bit about how this works. There’s a ton of flexibility relating to shade and design, and in addition in how objects are positioned on the planet. The clip reveals a Sim tinkering with a sofa, for instance: The participant was in a position to change the colours and patterns on the sofa, but in addition regulate completely different particulars, like the form or variety of cushions. They may additionally place and transfer round pillows that sit on the sofa, too.
The Sims 4 isn’t going to die when Challenge Rene is launched. Maxis stated Challenge Rene and The Sims 4 will coexist: “We are going to proceed to help each on the similar time and can plan to convey extra thrilling content material to The Sims 4 group for the foreseeable future.”
The Sims 4 is the way forward for the franchise, too. “We additionally know that we’re not going to go to a linear mannequin, as a result of we’ve got a lot with The Sims 4,” Gorman Revelli stated. “What we’re actually taking a look at is, how will we proceed to work with our group, work with our gamers, and never have you’ve gotten this second in time the place you’re going to reset all of your progress and lose these superb reminiscences, characters, and issues that you just’ve constructed inside these 10 years of your gameplay, probably?”
The Sims 4 will proceed to get higher — not changed.