The life simulators working at Maxis have stressed that the developers behind The Sims are still committed to inclusivity, still maintain the same level of creative control, and are still focused on single-player experiences with its "next evolution" as we head into the new year.
The public statement and promises about the future were perhaps motivated by worries around EA's impending $55 billion buyout, which would see Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners (founded by Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner) become private owners, leaving the publisher $20 billion in debt.
As IGN previously reported, several The Sims 4 content creators quit EA's Creator Network in response to the news, citing long-term concerns about the values of the company's soon-to-be owners.
So, Maxis took to its blog to write, "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."
The studio goes on to say the team's "creative control, guided by our values of inclusivity, choice, creativity, community, and play, has not changed," promising that those values will continue into "the future."
Elsewhere, Maxis emphasized that the series' "foundation" of deep single-player simulations wasn't going anywhere. "We'll continue to deliver content and updates to The Sims 4 and we are committed to improving the experience," it wrote. "Single-player PC and console experiences will always be a part of our future, with more than half of our global development team dedicated to The Sims 4 and the next evolution."
And while we already knew Project Rene wasn't in fact The Sims 5, the team have now confirmed that it's more of a mobile-first game "evolved to focus on social multiplayer play."
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