The Sims developer Maxis has stated its "values are unchanged" amid EA's controversial Saudi acquisition

Maxis has reassured players that its core values remain unchanged as Electronic Arts progresses with its $55 billion takeover by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which was approved by shareholders in December.

The details:

• In a new blog post, the studio said that its "creative control [is] guided by values of inclusivity, choice, creativity, community, and play," and that "the values of The Sims are unchanged." While not explicitly mentioning the ongoing acquisition of parent company EA, it’s rather clear that the connection is there, as many fans have feared that Saudi-owned PIF could push back against representation and diversity in The Sims franchise going forward.
• The acquisition, valued at $55 million USD, was given the green light in December 2025 and will see the PIF take 93% ownership with smaller stakes for Silver Lake Partners and Affinity Partners. With Saudi Arabia’s poor human rights record and the illegality of homosexuality in the country, which is punishable by death, the deal was met with backlash from some fans. Despite this, EA has reassured the gaming community that the consortium will not take total control of the publisher’s development teams.
• Maxis also shared an update on the future of The Sims franchise, clarifying that Project Rene, its in-development mobile-first title, is not the successor to The Sims 4, but rather a separate experience. With this, it confirmed that more than half of its global development teams continue working on The Sims 4 and "the next evolution," stating that single-player experiences will remain central to the franchise's future.