The Sims franchise has been available on mobile for quite some time. In 2011, The Sims FreePlay delivered a mobile Sims experience for the first time. Then in 2018, EA added The Sims Mobile to the portfolio. For the past 7 years, Sims fans have been able to enjoy both of these mobile games, which offer slightly different takes on the life sim. But recently, EA confirmed that The Sims Mobile will shut down in early 2026. As sad as it is for fans of the long-running mobile game, I think it’s secretly good news.
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For quite some time, EA has had servers up and running for two different mobile games. Recently, they added an Apple Arcade version of MySims and MySims Kingdom to that portfolio. So, it’s not surprising that the developer is pulling the plug on one of these games. While FreePlay is largely a mobile translation of The Sims series, The Sims Mobile added more social components. And that’s the basis of my theory that shutting down The Sims Mobile could be part of EA’s prep for the upcoming release of Project Rene.
The Sims Mobile Had a Multiplayer Focus, And So Will Project Rene
The Sims Mobile stood apart from other Sims entries in large part because of its social components. And though much about Project Rene remains shrouded in mystery, it’s clear that the new Sims game will be multiplayer-focused. After all, previous looks at the game in development have shown off Sims with usernames above them. And EA’s president has previously remarked that multiplayer is the biggest growth opportunity for the franchise. If that’s the case, why shut down its multiplayer mobile game?
Although the servers don’t shut down until January, The Sims Mobile has already been delisted. That means new players can’t join the game, but anyone who already has it on their device can still play. EA didn’t give a specific reason for the shutdown, but it is likely partially due to a dwindling player base. The game was fairly popular when it first released, but it never got anywhere near the popularity of single-player focused life sims in the franchise like The Sims 4. But EA clearly still wants to make multiplayer happen for The Sims.
That’s where Project Rene comes in. The new game won’t be The Sims 5, but something entirely new. Something with a focus on social components that will be playable on mobile and PC. If I had to guess, I’d say that EA is hoping Project Rene will attract Simmers who loved The Sims Mobile, as its new and improved replacement. But how long will we have to wait for that to happen?
What We Know About Project Rene, And When It Might Come Out
I grew up playing The Sims and The Sims 2, so I’ve been keeping tabs on the franchise for most of my adult life. And that includes watching the saga of Project Rene with a mix of interest and confusion. For a long time, most of us assumed it would eventually turn out to be The Sims 5. But in fact, EA has confirmed that Project Rene will exist alongside The Sims 4. That points to it being something like The Sims Mobile, a spin-off with a slightly different gameplay experience.
Project Rene was announced back in 2022, and updates have been few and far between since then. A few playtests have given some Simmers an early look at what EA is working on, and a few details have been confirmed over time. This includes the fact that Project Rene will be free-to-play, offering a spin-off experience alongside The Sims 4. A few initial development screenshots have shown off some build mode UI, but most of what is rumored to be true about Project Rene comes from unconfirmed playtest leaks. Whatever the team at Maxis is working on, they’re keeping it pretty well under wraps.
We don’t have an official timeline for when Project Rene is supposed to come out. Given the lack of in-depth details, it certainly feels like it could still be many years away. But shutting down The Sims Mobile feels like EA laying the groundwork to launch a new mobile version of The Sims. With that game’s servers going offline in early 2026, I have a strong suspicion we’re about to hear a lot more about Project Rene. Whether that’s a 2026 release date or just prepping for the game to drop in 2027 or beyond, I couldn’t say. But pulling The Sims Mobile now, after running two mobile games for several years, certainly feels like setting the stage for something.
It’s also possible the game simply wasn’t making enough money to justify keeping the servers running. With the recent release of MySims mobile games, that was 4 different Sims-related titles on mobile, so EA could just be trimming the fat here. EA has undergone some pretty big structural changes this year, after all, and may be trying to save where they can. But even so, my first reaction to seeing the shutdown news was, “here comes Project Rene.” Now, we wait to see if I’m right.
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Courtesy of Toei Animation
