The Sims: Maxis is recruiting for a new game

Fyra Frost - Jan 27, 2020, 6:27 PM

We have seen the release of a lot of new content for The Sims 4 in 2019, and 2020 seems to be following the same path. We had two expansion packs, Island Living, and Discover University, two game packs, Strangerville and Realm of Magic, and finally the Moschino item kit; while 2020 begins with the Tiny-Living stuff pack. All of this is not a coincidence, because The Sims 4 celebrated its fifth anniversary last year, and the license will celebrate in 2020 its twenty years of existence.

But it looks like Maxis is now looking to the future. If you are a fan of The Sims series, you probably know that the interval between the different games released so far is generally around 5 years. It’s only natural that fans have been wondering about a new title for some time now.

Until now, Maxis has not communicated anything around a possible The Sims 5. Some elements still cause us to wonder, and the timing is only the first one.

The most attentive of you already surely know that Grant Rodiek, aka @SimGuruGrant, has since April left the position of main producer for The Sims 4, a position he held for 8 years, but continues to work for Maxis. But Rodiek had been there much longer, since he has worked for Maxis since 2005. Having so much experience, many people think that he could work on The Sims 5 today. However, the game would not see the light of day immediately, since it was announced in June 2018 that the team was thinking about the content for The Sims 4 for the next three years, which therefore leads us until 2021 at minimum.

I want to welcome @SimGuruDuke to TS4! Joining us from TSM, he’ll be our Sr Producer for TS4! Don’t worry, @SimGuruGrant is still working on a number of important and awesome Maxis things. It’s going to be a great year for The Sims and we can’t wait to show you what’s in store!
— Lyndsay Pearson (@SimGuruLyndsay) April 30, 2019

But that's not all. An attentive Reddit user noticed that Electronic Arts had posted several job listings this month for a brand new game. One, in particular, has drawn our attention. The job in question offers a Software Engineer position in Redwood City, the headquarters of Maxis, for a "completely new" game. The profile sought should have an interest in simulation games, and sandbox games ...

A second announcement was posted, this time for an art director position for Maxis Texas, and it also mentions a brand new game that would contain live service. It's difficult to know if these two ads have the slightest connection, given the locations. The first in any case seems to be a first clue regarding The Sims 5.

The rumors must be taken with a pinch of salt, but since 2020 is the year of the anniversary of The Sims, it could be good timing to announce the sequel to The Sims 4.