EA's biggest franchises are undoubtedly its EA Sports games, but on the EA Entertainment side, beyond shooters like Apex Legends and Battlefield 6, it's The Sims that rules the roost as one of its biggest ongoing live service titles.
Today, EA studio Maxis, the team behind The Sims, gave players an update on the life sim franchise and its future in a blog post, with insights into what players can expect in 2026 and beyond. But before it got to that, it began with a couple of paragraphs on how the "values" of the game have not changed.
The blog post doesn't say why it starts with this topic, but the context is clear for fans of The Sims and anyone who has paid attention to EA in the last year. Following the reveal that EA is going private and being bought out by a 'Consortium' of investors led by the Saudi Arabia PIF (Public Investment Fund) and Jared Kushner's Silver Lake, many fans of the life-sim game feared it would undergo drastic changes once the deal was finalized.
Changes like the removal of LGBTQIA+ representation, and changes to the game to disallow same-sex couples after The Sims was the first video game to ever feature a gay couple kissing.
While the deal has been approved by EA's shareholders, it hasn't made its way through regulators, and is nowhere near finalized. So to make a statement now about how the studio's values are "unchanged" when the deal isn't done feels slightly muted, but it's there nonetheless. The studio even dug more into what it means by its values not changing in a separate blog post to further hammer home its point.
"The Sims has always been more than a game. It’s a canvas for life in all its unpredictable forms…the chaotic moments, the tiny joys, the big dreams, every identity, every version of you. And, thanks to you, The Sims has grown into something bigger than we ever imagined: a living world bursting with creativity, expression, humor, chaos, and heart. Our Sims team's creative control, guided by our values of inclusivity, choice, creativity, community, and play, has not changed. These values inspire the decisions we make each and every day as we plan for today, tomorrow, and the future. The Sims will always be about life, your way."
Following that introduction, the post goes on to discuss what the team at Maxis is working on, confirming that the studio has multiple projects in the works, and that the team is "building a family of new Sims experiences across PC, console, and mobile."
Maxis also goes on to say that the team is "committed to single-player life simulation experiences," recognizing that the game's foundation has always been those moments players have when building their own worlds within The Sims.
As for Project Rene, the new Sims project that was first introduced as a next-generation title, it has now evolved into a "mobile-first life-sim game," and will be a separate experience from The Sims 4. Last year, Maxis and EA announced they would be shutting down The Sims Mobile in 2026, and at the time, combined with a report from MobileGamer.Biz regarding the last time EA spoke on The Sims on mobile platforms, Wccftech speculated that The Sims Mobile was being shuttered to make way for a new title. It seems that was indeed the case, though we'll have to wait until more about Project Rene is revealed to know for sure.
Beyond that, the studio is committed to continuing to evolve The Sims 4 after it confirmed that it would not be making The Sims 5, and diehard fans who want to see what's coming next first will have the chance to test new features through limited market tests via The Sims Labs.
The blog then concluded on a final statement, all to do with the team moving into the future of The Sims with the same driving core that built its past.
"For decades, you’ve made The Sims what it is, a world that spans generations and cultures, filled with joy, surprises, emotions, and stories that stick with us long after the save file closes. Now, we’re building the future the same way we built the past, with creativity, bold ideas, curiosity, and you as our partners. The Sims is, and has always been, all about you - uniquely you. And as a result, unmistakably The Sims."
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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