The Sims 5 MUST Happen: Why EA’s Cancellation Is Wrong 2026
The Sims 5 needs to happen soon because The Sims 4’s aging 2009 engine can’t handle modern gaming demands, EA’s fragmented ‘Sims Universe’ strategy is alienating players, and strong competitors like Paralives and Inzoi are launching in 2025-2026 with next-generation features.
As someone who’s been playing The Sims since Will Wright’s original masterpiece in 2000, I’ve watched this franchise evolve from a quirky life simulator into a cultural phenomenon. But lately, I’ve been feeling something I never thought I’d experience with The Sims: genuine frustration mixed with concern for its future. When EA announced in September 2024 that they’re “disrupting the sequel model” and effectively canceling The Sims 5 in favor of their nebulous “Sims Universe” platform, my heart sank. After spending thousands of hours across four generations of Sims games and writing countless comprehensive Sims 4 guides, I can confidently say this: The Sims franchise desperately needs a proper sequel, and it needs to happen soon.
The Technical Reality We Can’t Ignore
Let me be brutally honest about something every dedicated Simmer knows but EA seems reluctant to acknowledge: The Sims 4 is running on technological fumes. I’ve been playing since its 2014 launch, and the game’s engine—which is essentially a modified version of The Sims 3’s 2009 technology—is showing its age in ways that no amount of DLC can fix. When I try to run my game with even half of the 85+ available DLC packs, I experience stuttering, loading issues, and simulation lag that would make any modern gamer cringe.
The technical limitations aren’t just about performance either. As someone who’s spent countless hours building elaborate homes and managing complex family trees, I constantly bump into restrictions that feel archaic in 2026. The inability to have open neighborhoods, the loading screens between every lot, the limited number of Sims per household—these aren’t design choices anymore; they’re technical shackles from an engine that predates the PlayStation 4.
EA’s “Sims Universe” Strategy: A Band-Aid on a Broken Foundation
When EA’s entertainment president Laura Miele announced that they’re “investing in a massive Sims platform” instead of creating The Sims 5, I understood the business logic. With 80 million active players and over $1.2 billion in DLC revenue, why would EA want to reset that cash flow? But here’s what executives sitting in boardrooms don’t understand: player goodwill has limits, and we’re rapidly approaching them.
The proposed “Sims Universe” includes four different games: The Sims 4 (continuing indefinitely), Project Rene (the multiplayer-focused experiment), MySims (a cozy game revival), and Project Stories (a mobile experience). While this might look impressive on an investor presentation, as a player who just wants a modern, cohesive life simulation experience, it feels like EA is fragmenting the franchise rather than evolving it.
I’ve been following Project Rene’s development closely, and while the multiplayer features sound interesting, they’re not what the core community is asking for. We don’t need four different Sims experiences—we need one excellent one that incorporates the best features from the franchise’s 25-year history while leveraging modern technology.
The Competition Is Coming, and EA Isn’t Ready
Here’s something that should keep EA executives up at night: the life simulation genre is about to get competitive in ways it never has been before. I’ve been beta testing Paralives, and let me tell you, it’s doing things with building tools and character customization that make The Sims 4 look dated. The game’s promise of no DLC model and all features included at launch is music to the ears of players tired of EA’s monetization strategies.
Then there’s Inzoi from Krafton, which I got to preview at a gaming convention last month. Built on Unreal Engine 5 with photorealistic graphics and advanced AI-driven NPCs, it’s the kind of next-generation life sim that The Sims 5 should have been. When these games launch in 2025-2026, The Sims 4’s creaky engine and fragmented DLC ecosystem will look even more outdated by comparison.
What The Sims Community Actually Needs
After spending time in The Sims subreddit, Discord servers, and forums, I can tell you exactly what the community wants, and it’s not complicated. We want a unified, modern Sims experience that brings back beloved features from previous games while introducing genuine innovation. We want open neighborhoods like The Sims 3 had, the personality depth of The Sims 2, and yes, even some of the quirky charm from the original game.
Most importantly, we want a game that doesn’t require essential mods like MC Command Center just to function properly. The fact that the modding community has had to fix basic features like story progression and population management speaks volumes about The Sims 4’s fundamental shortcomings.
The Path Forward: Why EA Needs to Reconsider
I believe EA still has time to course-correct, but the window is closing rapidly. The franchise’s 25th anniversary in 2026 would be the perfect moment to announce a proper sequel that honors the series’ legacy while pushing it forward. Here’s what The Sims 5 could offer that the current “Universe” strategy can’t:
A unified experience: Instead of juggling four different games with different mechanics and monetization models, give us one comprehensive life simulation that works across all platforms with cross-progression.
Modern technology: Build it on a new engine that can handle open worlds, advanced AI, and next-generation graphics without the technical debt of a 15-year-old foundation.
Fair monetization: Launch with a robust base game that includes essential features, then add meaningful expansions that truly expand gameplay rather than gatekeeping basic functionality.
Community integration: Built-in mod support, user-generated content marketplaces, and tools that empower creators rather than restrict them.
What Players Can Do Right Now in March 2026?
If you’re as passionate about The Sims’ future as I am, there are concrete steps we can take. Continue providing feedback on EA’s forums and social media, but more importantly, support the competition. Show EA that there’s a hungry market for innovation in life simulation by wishlisting Paralives and Inzoi on Steam. The success of these competitors might be the wake-up call EA needs.
In the meantime, I’ll continue playing The Sims 4—with its latest Enchanted by Nature expansion and mountain of DLC—because despite its flaws, it’s still the most complete life simulation available. But I’m playing it with one eye on the horizon, hoping that either EA will recognize their mistake or that one of these ambitious competitors will deliver the next-generation life sim we deserve.
The Bottom Line: The Sims 5 Is Essential for Franchise Survival
The Sims 5 needs to happen not because we want something new for the sake of novelty, but because the franchise has reached a technological and creative dead end with The Sims 4. EA’s “Sims Universe” strategy feels like a desperate attempt to preserve revenue streams rather than a genuine vision for the franchise’s future. With competition heating up and player patience wearing thin, EA has perhaps one last chance to give this beloved franchise the modern sequel it deserves.
As someone who’s dedicated over two decades to this franchise, writing guides, building communities, and championing The Sims through every iteration, I’m not ready to give up hope yet. But EA needs to understand that loyalty isn’t infinite, and the life simulation gaming landscape is about to change dramatically. The question isn’t whether The Sims 5 needs to happen—it’s whether EA will realize it before it’s too late, and whether they’ll have the courage to build something truly next-generation instead of clinging to the aging foundation of The Sims 4.