The Sims Project Rene leaks have fans worried about microtransactions and F2P grind

The Sims Project Rene leaks are starting to circulate as players get their hands on an early build of the Life game, and they're causing concern among some about what Maxis has in store. However, it's worth noting that this is an early build and playtests like this are aimed at identifying problems in structure and style so that the developers can make improvements later. There is also no indication of how current this build is.

Leaked screenshots from Project Rene, while not quite showing the “Create a Sim” screen, do show the end result with multiple body types, character models, and clothing options, and they're pretty simple. “The Sims 3 looked better” is a common refrain on Twitter, and while that's definitely an exaggeration, in their current state, Project Rene's Sims lack a certain nuance of expression that characterized the creations in The Sims 3 and The Sims 4.

As one Redditer noted, they're more like cartoon characters than Sims. Considering how cartoonish The Sims is, this might seem strange, but Maxis usually balances out the silly elements with something more human and relatable, something not yet present in Project Rene.

What worried more people who saw the leaks on Reddit and Twitter was the structure of The Sims Project Rene. The early build that some people tested took you to a Paris neighborhood with the goal of getting a cafe up and running. You have to complete daily goals, earn Simoleons as rewards, and then do it all again. The tasks ranged from things like completing a shift at the cafe – which, to be fair, seemed a bit more interactive than most Sims 4 jobs, since you can at least operate the coffee machine and “collaborate with other players” – to Buying an outfit.

This is something I'd expect from a F2P game with a battle pass, and it's the least Sims-like experience I can imagine. This doubles when you consider that you can also earn XP by completing actions, such as talking to other Sims or wishing at the wishing well. Some fans are speculating that Maxis plans to add microtransactions that will give you more Simoleons to spend on customization items, presumably cosmetics and hopefully not items in build mode. Part of the appeal of The Sims is doing whatever you want, no matter how strange and inefficient it may be, and the prospect of completing chores with no real reward or personality involved just doesn't seem to appeal Having a connection to the series.

However, these concerns may be unfounded. EA and Maxis recently acknowledged The Sims Project Rene in a Sims celebration recap in which they also announced a Sims movie starring Margot Robbie, but they have yet to show any official footage or explain how Project Rene works. It could be that bad, but it could also just be an early build taken completely out of context.