The Sims 5: EA reportedly sent invites for Project Rene pre-alpha
EA didn’t officially announce The Sims 5 this month but did set the stage for the next installment of the long-running franchise. During the Behind The Sims Summer Stream, EA unveiled Project Rene, the foundation on which the next generation Sims game will be built.
Project Rene is still very much in its early stages but we did get a look at some of its capabilities during the stream. It featured some of the most robust sets of creative tools we’ve ever seen in a Sims game, allowing users to edit furniture piece by piece. We also saw that EA is building a future in which users can play The Sims on any platform and it will be the same experience regardless of what device they are using.
It was all very exciting stuff. But again, it was just a preview. EA acknowledged that there is still a long way to go and they will be testing these tools in the coming months.
Well, it seems that the first playtest for Project Rene has begun. According to Insider-Gaming, EA has sent out invites to select community members to test the pre-alpha experience for Project Rene.
According to the email, the playtest will consist of primarily testing the new object customization tool, which is currently being called the “Workshop.” The email reportedly continues to explain that the tool is “meant to help you customize objects to decorate an apartment.” This is likely the same tool we saw in use during the steam.
Additionally, the test seemingly let those invited also invite their own friends to play with. It’s unclear how customization tools would allow for a multiplayer experience unless it has to do with the sharing of creations with other community members. During the stream, we were shown how Project Rene would make sharing creations even easier in the future for The Sims.
Because this is a pre-alpha experience, it’s unlikely that we’ll see any official footage released. There might be some leaks though. Even if we don’t see anything, the simple fact that EA is hosting a playtest for Project Rene so early seems to reinforce the idea that they are committed to building the next Sims game based on feedback from the community.