You’re probably here because you’re wondering what Project Rene is all about. We’ve done the research for you, so you don’t have to do it yourself. On this page, you’ll find everything we know so far about this upcoming game.

What is Project Rene? What does it stand for? And how is it related to The Sims 5? We’ll answer these and other questions down below.

On this page:

What is Project Rene?

There is currently a lot of buzz in the gaming community about “Project Rene.” Besides the numerous speculations and rumors, we’ve also noticed that some fans are confused about what this project is actually about.

So, what exactly is Project Rene? Let’s clarify this a bit more!

Project Rene is the working title (or codename) for the game that will eventually become The Sims 5 in the future.

It is the highly anticipated sequel to The Sims 4, which is one of the most popular life simulation video games at the moment. Just like The Sims 4, The Sims 5 is also being developed by Electronic Arts (EA) and Maxis.

Before The Sims 4 was launched, the game had a working title as well. It was called “Project Olympus.”

What does Project Rene stand for?

So, what does Project Rene actually stand for? That’s a commonly asked question in the Sims community. 

The name Rene (pronounced Renée) stands for renewal, rebirth, and renaissance. Why this name, you may wonder?

Here’s what EA shared about it: “This name was chosen to be reminiscent of words like renaissance and rebirth to represent the team’s renewed commitment for The Sims’ bright future.”

When was Project Rene revealed?

EA unveiled the first official details about Project Rene during the Behind The Sims Summit livestream on October 18th, 2022. This is when they made it official that The Sims 5 is on its way.

During the Summit livestream, Lyndsay Pearson (Vice President of Franchise Creative for The Sims) shared the first details about the upcoming generation of The Sims. Pearson mentioned the following:

QUOTE: “Today marks the start of our journey over the next few years. Our working title for this new generation is Project Rene.”

How is Project Rene related to Sims 5?

As you may have read above, Project Rene is the working title (codename) for The Sims 5. We expect the game’s name to be rebranded to The Sims 5 as soon as it’s officially announced.

Is it possible to download Project Rene just yet?

Project Rene (The Sims 5) is not yet available as of 2023. So it’s currently not possible to download the game.

As soon as we have more details, we’ll share them on this site. Read more about the possible launch date below.

When will Project Rene be released?

Even though The Sims 5’s official release date hasn’t been revealed yet, we can already make an estimated guess about when it will come out.

In January 2023, Grant Rodiek (Game Director for Project Rene) shared that the game is still “Years out.” With this in mind, a release in 2023 seems very unlikely.

The Sims 4 has been overdue for quite a while. Each Sims generation usually lasts about four or five years on average. In 2024, The Sims 4 will celebrate its 10th anniversary. This is the perfect time to release the next chapter of The Sims. 2025 would be another great option, as The Sims will be turning 25 years old. We don’t expect the fifth generation to come out later than 2024 or 2025.

On the release page, we share more details about the possible release date of this game. 

We’ll post more information on this site as soon as the game can be pre-ordered and downloaded. Sign up for the free newsletter to be notified about these things.

On what platforms will Project Rene be released?

During the Behind The Sims Summit livestream in January 2023, Rodiek confirmed that the fifth generation of The Sims (Project Rene) will definitely be coming to PC and mobile.

For PC, it’s still unclear which devices, brands, or Windows versions will be able to run The Sims 5. But it’s almost certain that the latest high-end Windows 11 desktops and laptops will be able to run the game.

For mobile, it’s also not confirmed which devices, brands, and software versions will be able to run the fifth generation of The Sims. However, it’s expected that the latest high-end Android and iPhone devices will be able to run the game smoothly.

Rodiek hasn’t said anything about Mac devices yet. Since The Sims 4 was released on Mac, we also expect that The Sims 5 will be coming to Mac. This includes the latest MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac devices.

It’s still unclear whether the game will be coming to consoles, but a release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S seems likely.

As soon as we know more, we’ll share it on this site.

What else do we know about Project Rene already?

Currently (2023), not many details about the fifth generation of The Sims 5 (a.k.a Project Rene) have been revealed. However, a few interesting details were shared during the Behind The Sims Summit livestreams lately.

Here’s what we know about Project Rene so far:

  • The fifth generation of The Sims builds upon the foundation of its predecessors, offering a new and immersive experience. It allows players to create and control virtual characters, and guide their lives in a dynamic and realistic virtual world.
  • Besides that, the game introduces enhanced graphics and improved gameplay mechanics, providing players with even more opportunities for creativity, self-expression, and storytelling.
  • The game is currently in early development and is being playtested by a small group of people during so-called playtesting sessions organized by EA and Maxis. Rodiek shared the following details about this during the Behind The Sims Summit of January 2023: “In the fall of 2022, we released a small private playtest that evaluated interior design, furniture customization, and collaborative interior design on mobile and PC.” 
  • The game also introduces multiplayer functionalities, so players will be able to play the game online with friends. These social interactions make the gameplay even more engaging! There will also be a single-player mode.
  • Aside from that, the game also comes with cross-platform functionalities. This means it can be played simultaneously on a computer and mobile phone, for example.

There is currently no information about a possible release date, demos, or pre-orders of the game.

More details are constantly being revealed. Be sure to check out our site’s homepage to learn more about the fifth installment of The Sims.