Multiplayer mode is being explored for The Sims 5

Sims fanatics might soon be able to play the game alongside their friends

With the franchise currently on its fourth instalment, fans have been on tenterhooks to find out more about the next edition, which is expected to come out next year.

However, the vice president of franchise creative on The Sims 4 Lyndsay Pearson opened up to Radio Times's podcast about what can be expected in the new game.

"We definitely want to introduce multiplayer," Pearson said on the podcast. "And not multiplayer in the big, scary 'jump in a world full of strangers' kind of way. But literally, how do you and your friends want to do some play together?

"And there's a lot of different flavours that could take, so we're exploring a lot of different spaces there.

"Because playing together can look like so many different things, right? Even our chat now, we've talked about, like, trivia games to fighting games to racing games, playing together and social can mean so many things.

"And so we're having a lot of fun exploring all those different opportunities, particularly within the context of The Sims, because it is still about these little characters, their little lives, and you helping guide them."

She continued: "So, what does that mean if you and I do that together? And how do we figure out how to make a little bit of that chaos, a little bit of that fun and a little bit of that positivity all come together in a way that feels Sims-y?"

Fans have responded to the news via social media.

"Surprised they haven’t done this already," one person said.

"This could save the human race," a second put.

While a third said: "That would be awesome!"