Community-driven development for The Sims
Project Rene Playtests are a series of community-facing tests run by Maxis during the early development of Project Rene, the next evolution of The Sims. Rather than building behind closed doors, Maxis has chosen to involve players directly in the development process, collecting feedback and iterating on the game alongside the community.
VP of Creative Lyndsay Pearson has said the team knew from the beginning that wherever they took The Sims next would need to be a journey taken with players. Production Director Stephanie Callegari has described direct player feedback as one of the most valuable tools the studio uses at Maxis.
The Apartment Customization playtest
The first playtest, called Apartment Customization, launched as a small private test in fall 2022. It evaluated interior design, furniture customization, and collaborative interior design on both mobile and PC. While the test covered only a narrow slice of the planned project, it was designed to exercise a wide range of underlying systems.
Game Director Grant Rodiek explained that The Sims involves a high degree of interactivity, where customizing a couch or a shirt affects how Sims move and consider their environments. Testing furniture and interior design let the team evaluate critical experiences and technology across many connected systems at once. Player behavior during the test also revealed usability issues: when testers struggled to find certain tools, the team rearranged the layout and added more guidance, resulting in a noticeable improvement.
Future playtests
Maxis has outlined several areas planned for future community playtests. These include simulation experiences, character and clothing customization, updated versions of apartment customization, and new social play experiences. The team has stated that each of these areas will be shared, tested, and refined alongside the community over time. For early footage from the first playtest, Maxis has pointed players to the Behind The Sims video series, which documents the ongoing development process.