The Sims 5 might have a free-to-enter model at launch, allowing players to enjoy some of the game without cost, but then they'll have to be willing to pay out for microtransactions to access the majority of content.
A job listing found by the Twitter user TheHenfordHen is advertising for a Head of Monetization & Marketplace position, working on The Sims: Project Rene. It indicates that the game will be taking a free-to-enter route.
<social>https://twitter.com/thehenfordhen/status/1673944364144373760</social>
Essentially, this means that you might not pay a price of entry, but you will pay if you want the full experience of the game, as microtransactions will be rife. We'd love to say we're shocked but considering EA's past, it doesn't surprise us one bit.