Electronic Arts (EA) has officially outlined its vision for The Sims franchise in 2026, pivoting away from a single flagship successor like The Sims 5 toward a connected family of games. This new strategy emphasizes a “mobile-first” approach, creating diverse experiences across PC, console, and mobile platforms that are designed to stand on their own while remaining interconnected. With The Sims Mobile scheduled to shut down on January 20, 2026, EA is placing a high priority on these new projects to ensure the community has modern, social spaces to inhabit.

Project Rene and The Sims Labs

At the center of this transition is Project Rene, which has evolved from a rumored sequel into a separate, free-to-play social simulation experience. Project Rene focuses on multiplayer collaboration and shared creativity, allowing players to build and play together in real-time across devices. To refine these new concepts, EA will utilize The Sims Labs throughout 2026. This platform allows the developers to run extensive playtests, regional trials, and experimental prototypes, such as the recently soft-launched Town Stories and Life Together, to gather community feedback before full global releases.

Core Values and Future Narrative Games

Despite the shift in platform focus, EA maintains that the core values of The Sims, inclusivity, freedom of expression, and creativity, will remain at the heart of every project. The roadmap for 2026 also includes an expansion into mobile narrative-driven games, offering varied gameplay styles beyond the traditional life simulation loop. By leveraging The Sims Labs for constant community input, EA aims to build a future for the franchise that is more accessible and social than ever before, ensuring that players can engage with the world of The Sims however and wherever they choose.