The Sims 5 Will Seemingly Adopt a Fortnite Monetisation Model

ign.com:

EA will seemingly make The Sims 5, or Project Rene as it's currently officially known, a free to play game that allows user generated content in a monetisation model similar to Fortnite's.

As reported by Sims Community, EA posted a job listing looking for a head of marketplace and monetisation for Project Rene which described it as a "free-to-enter" game.

The candidate will "own pricing of all content in this free-to-enter game, ensuring we have an optimal pricing and content architecture [and] provide guidance to content teams on in-game content needs to meet player demand.

Another responsibility mentioned the in-game marketplace and management of user generated content. The candidate will "own Project Rene's in-game marketplace of content and ugc (free and paid), and manage a data-informed player-centric player purchase journey: maximising value to players, optimising player spend patterns, and minimising player churn."

EA launched its Roblox-esque Fortnite Creative 2.0 in March, which lets players make their own content for other users to use, either for free or at a cost. The monetisation model mentioned in the job listing sounds very similar to this, suggesting the basic version of The Sims 5 could be a free to play game with additional purchases available for those looking to buy new houses, clothes, and so on.

IGN has asked EA for comment on Project Rene's monetisation.

This next Sims games was announced in October 2022, with the name Rene chosen to represent words like renewal, renaissance, and rebirth, and "to represent the developer's renewed commitment for The Sims' bright future".

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.