‘Project Vie’: Real Or Not? Banned ‘Sims 4’ Forum User Rumored Bullshitter

Project Vie, a self-proclaimed Sims 4 competitor who nobody has been able to get ahold of IRL, is expected to make an official announcement giving more information about their alleged life simulation game at 6 p.m. GMT (1 p.m. EST). However, the truth about Project Vie may have already come out. Multiple Sims players and reddit users claim Project Vie, who recently changed their Twitter handle to Play Vie, is a salty banned forum user looking to hoax the community.

UPDATE: Project Vie Unveils Sketchy Screenshots, Claims 2018 Release Date

Sims Community was the first to call bullshit on the story that made it all the way to Inquisitr last month, but there are still Sims players out there praying Vie is real. There is, however, one source who aims to set the record straight ahead of Vie’s expected announcement. Madame Butterfly says we should take her word for it that Project Vie is a troller. Here’s what MadameButterfly said in a screenshot posted to ModTheSims.

Dear Fellow Sims Players,

I run a private forum where the members are granted their privacy where screenshots of posts are not allowed. However, I am granting them permission to share this screenshot of this post made by myself, the admin, in order to clarify a few things to the public.

Back in 2016, one of our now banned members decided to troll the Sim community with a fake game known as “Project Vie.” It was my hope that interested in this fake project would die out, as some of us did not want to see people getting their hopes up on an empty promise. Plus, we did not want this scam to be tied to our group in any way. (we do not condone it.) However, this ex-member enjoyed the attention that they were getting from the Sim community, and they have not felt the need to set the record straight. I do possess the “smoking gun” that would prove what I am stating, but to share it would go against our charter. You are just going to have to take my word for it, as i know that some of you can vouch for my sincerity on this matter.

I apologize for not coming forward sooner.

Yours truly,

~MadameButterfly~

Another Sims player, who happens to be Carls Sims Guide staff, also claimed to be a member of the same private forum as Madame Butterfly. She also thinks Vie is a scam.

Vie provided SimsCommunity with alleged press materials ahead of the official announcement, which includes a line from Rick Astley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ chorus in the ‘about’ section… not a good sign. They also provide very vague details about features in the game, including that Team Vie was founded in 2015, but the rest just sounds like The Sims on crack (view the screens from their press materials here).

READ: Mysterious ‘Sims 4’ Competitor, ‘Vie,’ Promises More Details March 15

It’s hard to deny there’s a huge market for life simulation games. The Sims has controlled the scene for over a decade -- that’s why players are really, really hoping Vie is real. While it’s easy to think Vie is a big sack of foolery, the team (or person) behind this hoax are so dedicated they bought a domain and planned this for years. They even unveiled a survey on their Twitter account asking fans what kinds of features they’d most like to see in a life simulation game. Though, it’s also hard to deny the unprofessional language and secrecy is offputting.

For everything we know about Vie, including some of the game’s rumored features, read our previous coverage. Stay tuned for an update on this story when Vie supposedly releases new details this evening. Check out the reactions from the community below!