Will Project X Look Like Hello Neighbor 2? Insider Reveals Unexpected Source of Inspiration
A reliable insider from ATRL, who previously accurately predicted the launch of The Sims 4 Marketplace and shared details about Project X development, has returned with a new report. Published on April 11, the source revealed which games are serving as references for the team working on Project X. According to the insider, developers are using Hello Neighbor 2 as a reference for visual style, lighting, and map design. The report also touches on the sales performance of recent expansions and the confusing situation regarding Moola purchases.
Earlier, we wrote that Project X is not The Sims 5 but a "remaster" of the fourth installment built with AI.
Hello Neighbor 2 as a Source of Inspiration
According to the insider, the team behind Project X is using Hello Neighbor 2 as a benchmark for several key aspects. This isn't about copying mechanics but rather borrowing "visual direction, as well as inspiration for map exploration."
"People on the team are using Hello Neighbour 2, apparently, for both visual direction and exploration/map inspiration. Not sure what specifically, but outside The Sims 4, that's being used to gauge what the size and design of the maps could look like, while taking notes on things such as lighting effects and other visual elements," the insider shares.
The insider clarifies that Hello Neighbor 2 caught the developers' attention primarily because of its modern stylized visual style, which somewhat resembles The Sims 4 but looks more contemporary. The team is also looking at the open-world size and exploration approaches — all of which could influence how neighborhoods in Project X will be designed.
The insider stresses that we shouldn't expect direct feature transfers: "Obviously the parts that won't work for The Sims won't be carried over. It's inspiration."
The community reaction was swift. Upon hearing the news, some players began to panic: "They're making it look exactly like Hello Neighbour 2, wtf???" However, the insider urges caution, reminding that only certain elements — like lighting or textures — might be adapted for the life simulation genre.
Regarding world size, the insider offers a measured forecast: maps in Project X will likely be slightly larger than a typical Sims 4 neighborhood but won't become a massive open world. He reminds that the game is aimed at a broad audience, and overly large worlds would require powerful hardware, potentially alienating casual players.
So What Is Project X?
The insider once again confirmed that Project X is not The Sims 5, nor even a full-fledged remaster. He describes the project as follows:
"Best way I can describe it is imagine the Sims 4 base game now is the original Fortnite and Project X is the equivalent of skipping to the most recent version without any knowledge of anything in-between. You'd know it's the same game and not a remake, but it's also drastic enough to feel very different."
The primary goal of Project X is to retain existing The Sims 4 fans, not to attract those who miss The Sims 3 or are waiting for something revolutionary. According to the insider, EA is fully aware that InZOI and Paralives are targeting audiences that want more open worlds akin to The Sims 3. However, the company is deliberately avoiding that path.
"Do not expect them to try and appeal to people who miss The Sims 3 for example. EA knows the Sims 3 formula works to build hype but quickly falls flat. Players get more addicted when the scale isn't big for the sake of a selling point."
The developers believe that The Sims 4's neighborhood approach works more effectively: it allows isolating the player, engaging them more quickly in new activities, and preventing boredom. In an open world like The Sims 3, new opportunities get lost among the abundance of content, and players lose interest faster.
Expansion Sales and the "Strange" Moola Situation
The insider also shed light on the financial performance of recent expansions. He previously reported that Adventure Awaits had flopped, but now clarifies: the expansion actually performed well during the Christmas rush. Meanwhile, Royalty & Legacy became the best‑selling expansion since Life & Death. Players were particularly drawn to the new world and club creation tools.
The most contradictory information concerned the Marketplace. The insider confirms that the platform exceeded EA's expectations in key metrics. However, at the same time, the company is "unhappy with the amount of virtual currency being bought," expecting higher Moola sales. The insider admits this situation seems confusing, and he doesn't fully understand it himself.
This could mean that players are willingly visiting the Marketplace and browsing sets but are reluctant to top up their balances — or they buy only the exact amount needed for a specific set, leaving no "leftover" Moola that would go unused.
Why The Sims 3 Will Remain in the Past
In response to a user's question about a possible The Sims 3 remaster, the insider gave a clear answer: that will never happen.
The reason lies in financial performance. The Sims 3 failed to retain a long‑term audience, and each subsequent expansion sold worse than the previous one. Some didn't even manage to become sufficiently profitable.
"The Sims 3 really failed to maintain a longterm audience, and all the DLC (and especially the Expansions) they had planned in advance one by one performed worse and some of it failed to be decently profitable. That's one of the reasons why the Sims 4 started with one Expansion in production per year."
This experience left a deep mark on EA, and the company has no intention of returning to that model. That's why the 25th anniversary passed without any attention to The Sims 3 — according to the insider, "that left a sting in EA's butt that they won't let go of."
What Do Players Think?
The new insider report has sparked heated discussion. Some players are optimistic about drawing inspiration from Hello Neighbor 2 — they believe it could lead to improved lighting and textures, as well as more interesting neighborhood design. Others worry that the game might lose its uniqueness and become too similar to other projects.
Several commenters noted ironically that EA seems unsure of what it wants: on one hand, the Marketplace is "exceeding expectations," yet the company is unhappy with virtual currency sales. This raises questions about how sustainable the monetization strategy will be.
