# Unveiling the Social Fabric of The Sims 5: Project Rene
## Insights on Project Rene’s Multiplayer Aspirations
Over the past year, Maxis has been drawing back the curtain on the much-anticipated The Sims 5, codenamed Project Rene. The buzz around the game has grown, particularly with the revelation that it will feature a multiplayer mode. Fans have been left to speculate about the nature of this new addition, but insights have been scarce—until now.
In a recent episode of the podcast “One More Life de Radio Times,” the creative VP of the franchise, Lyndsay Pearson, dropped hints about the inspirations shaping Project Rene’s multiplayer experience.
### Inspired by Animal Crossing’s Creative Elements
Pearson admitted that Animal Crossing is frequently discussed among the Sims developers, specifically praising the creative and ingenious mechanics of the islands within the popular game. When Project Rene was previewed during the Behind the Sims livestream in October 2022, we caught a glimpse of the ability for players to collaboratively decorate spaces and share them online. However, it remains a mystery if players will have the capability to immerse their Sims into the worlds of others, echoing the interactive nature of Animal Crossing.
### Among Us: A Source of Collaborative Play
While Animal Crossing offers a straightforward alignment with The Sims’ world-building and social interactions, Pearson’s mention of Among Us came as a more unexpected source of inspiration. The surprise hit’s clever approach to collaborative mystery-solving is being explored to possibly enrich Project Rene’s multiplayer offering.
Pearson confirmed that the development team is still navigating through various concepts to define the multiplayer experience, ensuring it doesn’t evolve into a sprawling MMO. “We definitely want to introduce multiplayer in a way that isn’t ‘jump into a world full of strangers,'” she stated, hinting at a more intimate, friends-centric gameplay.
## Keeping It Under Wraps
Maxis has remained tight-lipped about the game since its announcement last year, with small teasers revealing things like the detailed furniture customization and the game’s cross-platform capabilities.
Following speculation, EA has confirmed that Project Rene will be free to download and is not intended to replace the currently beloved The Sims 4.
As development on Project Rene continues, it’s clear that the Maxis team is looking outside its own virtual boundaries to games like Animal Crossing and Among Us for guidance on creating engaging and innovative multiplayer experiences. Yet, the exact shape of these interactions is left to the imagination, with the promise of a more personal and friend-focused multiplayer dimension, paving the way for a fresh chapter in The Sims saga.