EA may be looking to change how gamers play The Sims. New information suggests that the company may be looking to establish a marketplace for in-game content for the next Sims installment.
If you’ve ever played The Sims 4, you will know that getting anything beyond the base game is an investment. EA recently made the base game free-to-play but getting all expansions and packs will cost a lot. Getting everything at full price will set a player back over $1000.
EA may be adopting a “free-to-enter” model for The Sims 5 but the life simulator may have in-game microtransactions for additional content. The company is looking for a candidate to fill the role of head of marketplace and monetization for Project Rene aka The Sims 5.
According to the job listing, the candidate will be part of the leadership team for the upcoming Sims game and “contribute to the success of Project Rene’s strategy and business.” The first two responsibilities of this role point towards a free-to-play game system for The Sims 5.
The candidate will be responsible for “Project Rene’s in-game marketplace of content and UGC (free and paid), and manage a data-informed player-centric player purchase journey. Maximizing value to players, optimizing player spend patterns, and minimizing player churn.” This suggests that The Sims 5 will have an in-game marketplace for both official and user-generated content.
The job listing also lists that the candidate will take charge of “pricing of all content in this free-to-enter game, ensuring we have an optimal pricing and content architecture. Provide guidance to content teams on in-game content needs to meet player demand.”
“pricing of all content in this free-to-enter game, ensuring we have an optimal pricing and content architecture. Provide guidance to content teams on in-game content needs to meet player demand.”
Interestingly, EA used the phrase “free-to-enter” for The Sims 5. We assume that players can get the base game for free but will have to pay for pieces of content to maximize their time in-game.
Similar to a lot of free-to-play titles in the MMO and FPS genres, EA may charge for essential bundles. Most MMOs have microtransactions for cosmetic items while FPS games sell battle passes to avail of content. EA has experience with the free-to-play model with its popular shooter Apex Legends.
This may mean that EA could start selling packs and bundles as early as launch day for The Sims 5. The company may also incorporate a subscription service and cosmetic microtransactions. Currently, The Sims 4 has DLC expansions and cosmetic bundles.
EA needs to have a very polished base game for the “free-to-enter” model to succeed. Hopefully, the upcoming title isn’t like Battlefield 2042 at launch.
Are you excited for The Sims 5? Let us know your thoughts on the “free-to-enter” model down in the comments section.
