2025 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of The Sims franchise. New releases related to The Sims have been announced since last year, with a twenty-fifth anniversary extravaganza spanning the latter half of January and early February, and a feature film based on the franchise announced last year. It only makes sense that further ventures for The Sims would continue to crop up as the year progresses, and a board game acts as the newest one.
But there are key elements to board games that are very different from The Sims’ various titles. Even though The Sims board game will likely involve or reference the original gameplay of its video game titles, things obviously must be adjusted for the new medium. Therefore, by making a board game based on The Sims, some liberties must be taken that could break franchise traditions.
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Most Board Games Have a Very Different Gameplay Style From The Sims
There’s obviously a huge precedent for a simulation-esque board game with The Game of Life. The iconic board game, created in 1860 and revamped to the popular modern version in 1960, has allowed players to simulate life on a board for centuries. But a key component to Life is its competitive nature, with the winning player being the one with the most money at the end of the game.
The Sims franchise has never had a true multiplayer mode before, and, by proxy, no competitive stakes against other players. While The Sims board game will likely try to distinguish itself from similar concepts like Life, the nature of most board games is competition. Though it is possible that The Sims board game could feature co-op-style gameplay, it might make more sense for Goliath Games, the team behind this new venture, to make the game multiplayer and competitive to give it a hook.
In fact, Goliath Games CEO Jochanan Golad has made a few claims that suggest that The Sims board game will subvert the franchise’s single-player non-competitive standard. Golad claims that the board game will be a “whole new way to play” and “a new, innovative way to live The Sims.” Making the board game a multiplayer competitive experience would fit the bill for both of these quotes. Details about the board game are still in the dark, though it is promised to be an immersive experience with an expected release date of Fall 2025.
Project Rene and The Sims Board Game Could Share Gameplay Features
Multiplayer competitive gameplay may not be part of The Sims’ current titles, but it has been promised for the franchise’s next installment. The ever-mysterious Project Rene has been marketed as an online cross-platform multiplayer version of The Sims. Project Rene was expected to be the franchise’s first venture into true multiplayer gameplay, though it seems that The Sims board game may technically usurp this.
Goliath Games is not part of The Sims‘ core development team, but it is quite possible that EA and Maxis could give Goliath Games information about Project Rene in order to establish the project’s gameplay features in a different medium. After all, Project Rene has been performing playtests for quite some time, with details about these play tests released to the public in leaks. Datamining efforts have also uncovered secrets about Project Rene.
Though all leaks should be taken with a grain of salt, both these playtest and datamining leaks suggest that Project Rene is emphasizing multiplayer gameplay. Playtesters participated in jobs to earn Simoleons with other playtesters. These Simoleons could also be used to purchase clothing or items like coffee from a coffee shop where playtesters were “working.” Perhaps The Sims board game will establish work gameplay alongside other players.
Ultimately, more details about The Sims board game will be released as the year progresses. Whatever form it takes, The Sims board game will almost certainly break the mold that its video game predecessors have established.
- Released
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September 2, 2014
- ESRB
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T for Teen: Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Publisher(s)
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Electronic Arts