The Simsplayers have had a packed 25-year anniversary. The anniversary celebrations included a new expansion pack forThe Sims 4, a rerelease ofThe Sims 1andThe Sims 2, a massive update toThe Sims 4with dozens of new items, a timed event forThe Sims 4, several new kits, and a 25-hour livestream. One overlooked announcement is a release window forProject Rene, which was announced several years ago.
While improvements toThe Sims 4are welcome,The Simshas been missing a new title for years. Instead,The Simsfans can look to a newcomer,InZOI, which is releasing in Early Access on March 27.InZOIis one of the first life sims to rise alongsideThe Simsin a very empty space, and so it’s exciting to see if it’ll prove to be good enough to compete withThe Sims, which has dominated the life sim genre for decades.
The Future of The Sims and Its Players
Many players assumedProject Renewas the code word forThe Sims 5, a theory that was disproved in 2024 when EA announced its plans to continueThe Sims 4indefinitely, and with otherThe Simsgames becoming spin-offs. Instead ofThe Sims 5,Project Renewould instead be a self-contained game that forms a part ofThe Simsfranchise, but separate fromThe Simsmainline games. Since the announcement in 2024, there hasn’t been any other news aboutProject Rene, even accounting for the 25-anniversary celebrations.
InZOI Arrives on March 27-28
However, there is another game in the life simulation genre that not only has news, but is due to release in Early Access. After months of anticipation,InZOI’s Early Access launches on March 28, at the same price point asThe Sims 4’s expansion packs. While in Early Access,InZOI’s updates will be free to all Early Access players, requiring only a one-time purchase of the base game.InZOIhas a completely different art style and vibe to it thanThe Sims 4, offering players a refreshing new space in the life simulation genre.
All About InZOI
InZOIis the first of two life simulation games that have a chance to compete withThe Sims 4in a space that hasn’t had any competition over the decades. Developed by Korean studioinZOIStudio and published by KRAFTON Inc,InZOIfeatures ultra-realistic graphics and was created in Unreal Engine 5. LikeThe Sims 4,InZOIincludes a robust character creator, allowing players to create any kind of person, called “Zois”, that they can imagine.
As a life simulation game with a similar premise toThe Sims, there is a lot ofoverlap between the two markets forThe SimsandInZOI. Players who are fans ofThe Sims 4might therefore get a kick out of playingInZOI, and seeing what it has to offer.InZOIdoesn’t have to replaceThe Simsbut, instead, offers an additional game for players in a space that desperately needs one.
