In an interview, a creative lead involved with The Sims 5 expressed interest in adding multiplayer features to the game, which is currently in its early developmental stages. Fans have eagerly awaited a new Sims installment since The Sims 4’s release in 2014.
The Sims franchise had experimented with multiplayer in The Sims Online, though it ended due to a lack of players. For nearly two decades, Maxis focused on single-player games, yet some fans created multiplayer mods for The Sims 3 and The Sims 4. However, the Sims community remains divided about integrating multiplayer as a core aspect of the series.
During a recent interview with Radio Times, Lyndsay Pearson, the Creative Vice President for the Sims franchise, expressed a desire to include multiplayer in The Sims 5. She clarified that they aimed for smaller, friend-focused interactions rather than a vast world of strangers, drawing inspiration from the inviting spaces in games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Pearson discussed various ideas for The Sims 5’s multiplayer features, highlighting they hadn’t finalized plans. Possibilities range from inviting friends to custom worlds akin to New Horizons to exploring social deduction gameplay inspired by titles like Among Us.
While some Sims fans welcome the prospect of multiplayer, others are concerned it might change the essence of the franchise’s single-player experience, stirring debates within the community.