Project Rene is supposed to be a more modern Sims experience, bringing a multiplayer experience to mobile. However, a recent playtest going by The Sims Labs: Life Together, has rubbed Simmers the wrong way.
The first playtest was held back in April, and now we are getting a more polished and stylized playtest called Life Together. Unfortunately, Sims players are not liking the looks and modernization.
Will Project Rene be free?
The quick visuals we have seen for Project Rene’s latest playtest definitely killed the vibe for a lot of long-time Sims players. Immediately, players noted that it “looks like a mobile game.” While it is a mobile game, I think it’s the whole appearance and playstyle of the game that gives it a mobile vibe that doesn’t match the usual Sims experience.
The focus on fashion (which has been compared to Roblox’s Dress to Impress mode) and hanging out with friends in a city just doesn’t carry that same Sims gameplay that gamers are craving from Maxis.
But the biggest concern with a game that “looks like a mobile game” is the promise of microtransactions. While it has not been confirmed, players are pretty positive that Project Rene will be full of microtransactions since it’s a free-to-play title that likely needs some way to make money.
“Who else is ready to pay $3.99 so you can finish a task!!” ranted one player on Reddit.
It’s safe to say that Simmers are not feeling The Sims Labs: Life Together so far. The cartoony looks, childlike gameplay, and simplified multiplayer content is just not what fans wanted after the Sims Mobile shutdown and cancellation of Sims 5.
Losing those in exchange for a mobile game likely riddled with microtransactions doesn’t seem like the tradeoff that Sims players hoped for.
Said one fan: “I’m sorry for complaining but … It looks like a generic mobile game. Been playing since the first Sims game and seeing how the game, which is also a special interest of mine, is evolving makes me depressed.”
