''The Sims'' is a series of
life simulation video games developed by
Maxis
Maxis is an American video game developer and a Division (business), division of Electronic Arts (EA). The studio was founded in 1987 by Will Wright (game designer), Will Wright and Jeff Braun, and acquired by Electronic Arts, EA in 1997. Maxi ...
and
published
Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...
by
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the d ...
. The franchise has sold nearly 200 million copies worldwide, and it is one of the best-selling video game series of all time.
The games in the ''Sims'' series are largely
sandbox game
A sandbox game is a video game with a gameplay element that provides players a great degree of creativity to interact with, usually without any predetermined goal, or alternatively with a goal that the players set for themselves. Such games may ...
s, in that they lack any defined goals (except for some later expansion packs and
console
Console may refer to:
Computing and video games
* System console, a physical device to operate a computer
** Virtual console, a user interface for multiple computer consoles on one device
** Command-line interface, a method of interacting with ...
versions which introduced this gameplay style). The player creates virtual people called "Sims", places them in houses, and helps direct their moods and satisfy their desires. Players can either place their Sims in pre-constructed homes or build them themselves. Each successive
expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, supplement, or simply expansion is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game, video game or collectible card game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, characters, or ...
and game in the series augmented what the player could do with their Sims.
''The Sims'' series is part of the larger
''Sim'' series, started by ''
SimCity
''SimCity'' is an open-ended city-building video game series originally designed by Will Wright. The first game in the series, ''SimCity'', was published by Maxis in 1989 and were followed by several sequels and many other spin-off "''Sim' ...
'' in 1989.
Development
![Will Wright - Game Developers Conference 2010 (2)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Will_Wright_-_Game_Developers_Conference_2010_%282%29.jpg)
Game designer
Will Wright was inspired to create a "virtual doll house" after losing his home during the
Oakland firestorm of 1991
:
The Oakland firestorm of 1991 was a large suburban wildland–urban interface conflagration that occurred on the hillsides of northern Oakland, California, and southeastern Berkeley over the weekend of October 19–20, 1991, before being b ...
and subsequently rebuilding his life.
Replacing his home and his other possessions made him think about adapting that life experience into a game. When Wright initially took his ideas to the Maxis
board of directors
A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...
, they were skeptical and gave little support or financing for the game. The directors at
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the d ...
, which bought Maxis in 1997, were more receptive—''
SimCity
''SimCity'' is an open-ended city-building video game series originally designed by Will Wright. The first game in the series, ''SimCity'', was published by Maxis in 1989 and were followed by several sequels and many other spin-off "''Sim' ...
'' had been a great success for them, and they foresaw the possibility of building a strong ''Sim'' franchise.
Wright has stated that ''The Sims'' was actually meant as a satire of U.S.
consumer culture. Wright took ideas from the 1977 architecture and
urban design
Urban design is an approach to the design of buildings and the spaces between them that focuses on specific design processes and outcomes. In addition to designing and shaping the physical features of towns, cities, and regional spaces, urban de ...
book ''
A Pattern Language
''A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction'' is a 1977 book on architecture, urban design, and community livability. It was authored by Christopher Alexander, Sara Ishikawa and Murray Silverstein of the Center for Environmental Struc ...
'', American psychologist
Abraham Maslow
Abraham Harold Maslow (; April 1, 1908 – June 8, 1970) was an American psychologist who was best known for creating Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, cul ...
's 1943 paper ''A Theory of Human Motivation'' and his
hierarchy of needs, and
Charles Hampden-Turner
Charles Hampden-Turner (29 September 1934 in London, England) is a British management philosopher, and Senior Research Associate at the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge since 1990. He is the creator of ''Dilemma Theory'' and ...
's ''Maps of the Mind'' to develop a model for the game's
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech re ...
.
Games
Main series
''The Sims'' (2000)
''The Sims'' was the first game in the series. Developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts, it was released for
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
on February 4, 2000. The game used
dimetric projection
Axonometric projection is a type of orthographic projection used for creating a pictorial drawing of an object, where the object is rotated around one or more of its axes to reveal multiple sides.Gary R. Bertoline et al. (2002) ''Technical Graphi ...
and featured open-ended simulation of the daily activities of one or more
virtual person
A virtual human, virtual persona, or digital clone is the creation or re-creation of a human being in image and voice using computer-generated imagery and sound, that is often indistinguishable from the real actor.
The idea of a virtual actor ...
s ("Sims") in a suburban area near SimCity. Seven expansion packs and two deluxe editions with exclusive content were released. It was repackaged in several different formats, and different versions of it were released on several different platforms. By March 22, 2002, ''The Sims'' had sold more than 6.3 million copies worldwide, surpassing ''
Myst
''Myst'' is a graphic adventure/puzzle video game designed by the Miller brothers, Robyn and Rand. It was developed by Cyan, Inc., published by Broderbund, and initially released for the Macintosh in 1993. In the game, the player's character t ...
'' as the
best-selling PC game in history at the time. The original game, all seven expansion packs, and the two deluxe edition content packs constitute the first generation of the PC release. Maxis developed all PC releases. By February 2005, the game had shipped 16 million copies worldwide.
''The Sims'' received
seven expansion packs:
''The Sims 2'' (2004)
Electronic Arts released ''
The Sims 2
''The Sims 2'' is a 2004 strategic life simulation video game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the second major title in ''The Sims'' series, and is the sequel to ''The Sims.'' The game was released for Microsoft Windo ...
'' on September 14, 2004. The sequel, developed by Maxis, takes place in a full
3D environment as opposed to the
dimetric projection
Axonometric projection is a type of orthographic projection used for creating a pictorial drawing of an object, where the object is rotated around one or more of its axes to reveal multiple sides.Gary R. Bertoline et al. (2002) ''Technical Graphi ...
of the original game. Sims age through seven life stages, from infancy to old age and subsequent death. Another major feature is the aspiration system. Each Sim exhibits wants and fears according to its aspiration and personality. Consequently, the level of the aspiration meter determines the effectiveness of a Sim at completing tasks. The fulfillment of wants provides aspiration points, which can be used to purchase aspiration rewards. The game also features clear days of the week, with weekends when children can stay home from school and vacation days when adults can take time off work.
''The Sims 2'' is set some 25 years after the original game. For instance, the Goth family has aged significantly with Bella Goth mysteriously vanishing ("dying") at some point in the 25 years. Because the entire game has progressed from 2D
sprites to
3D models, all content in ''The Sims 2'' had to be created from the ground up. Due to this, ''The Sims 2'' was not made backward-compatible with any content from the first generation of the main series. However, some objects and features from the original series were remade for the sequel.
Eight expansion packs and nine "stuff packs" were released for ''The Sims 2''. Over 400 items were also released for the game via ''The Sims 2'' Store.
''The Sims 2'' received
eight expansion packs:
''The Sims 3'' (2009)
Electronic Arts released ''
The Sims 3'' on June 2, 2009. The sequel was announced by EA in November 2006. The game is set 25 years before the original game and features an open, seamless neighborhood, improved Sim creation tools, enhanced build and buy mode functions, and the introduction of wishes and goals. The game introduced a new form of directed gameplay through small, step-wise goals presented as opportunities for the player to pursue or refuse. ''The Sims 3'' sold 1.4 million copies in the first week, making it the largest release in PC gaming history at the time.
''The Sims 3'' is set 25 years before ''The Sims''. For example, the Goth family is much younger, and Bella Goth, an adult in the first game, is a child and is named Bella Bachelor.
Eleven expansion packs and nine "stuff packs" were released for ''The Sims 3''. In addition, many items are available online for additional fees at ''The Sims 3'' Store.
''The Sims 3'' received
eleven expansion packs:
''The Sims 4'' (2014)
Electronic Arts announced ''
The Sims 4
''The Sims 4'' is a social simulation game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the fourth major title in ''The Sims'' series, and is the sequel to '' The Sims 3'' (2009). The game was released in North America on Septem ...
'' on May 6, 2013. The announcement stated that the game was in development by Maxis. ''The Sims 4'' takes place in an alternative setting/timeline from the game's previous installments. Later in 2014, further details on features and gameplay were announced. The release date of September 2, 2014, was announced at E3 2014.
As of February 2022, twelve expansion packs, twelve "game packs", eighteen "stuff packs", and ten "kits" have been released, and updates have added content that was previously absent, such as basements, ghosts, pools, modular stairs, toddlers, new careers, terrain tools, additional skin tones, and bunk beds. ''The Sims 4'' was made free-to-play on October 18, 2022.
''The Sims 4'' has received
twelve expansion packs so far:
''The Sims 4'' has also received
twelve "game packs" so far:
''The Sims 5'' (TBA)
On October 18, 2022, Maxis announced that they are working on the next installment of ''The Sims'', which is codenamed "Project Rene". The game allows solo or collaborative play and cross-play. Room customization works differently compared to ''The Sims 4'', with more customization options being presented for furniture. In this project, the buy-and-build mode is multiplayer and players can customize the buildings at the same time. Maxis said they are still working on this title and will give more information and updates about it.
Spin-offs
''The Sims Online''
In December 2002, Electronic Arts released the Maxis-developed ''
The Sims Online
''The Sims Online'', also known as ''EA-Land'', was a massively multiplayer online variation on Maxis' computer game ''The Sims''. It was published by Electronic Arts and released in December 2002 for Microsoft Windows. The game was sold in retai ...
'', later named ''EA Land''. It recreates ''The Sims'' as a
massively multiplayer online game
A massively multiplayer online game (MMOG or more commonly MMO) is an online video game with a large number of players, often hundreds or thousands, on the same server. MMOs usually feature a huge, persistent world, persistent open world, alt ...
, where human players can interact with each other. The spin-off did not achieve the same level of success as the original. Reviews for ''The Sims Online'' were lackluster; many likening its experience to an enormous
chat room
The term chat room, or chatroom (and sometimes group chat; abbreviated as GC), is primarily used to describe any form of synchronous conferencing, occasionally even asynchronous conferencing. The term can thus mean any technology, ranging from ...
. On August 1, 2008, ''EA Land'' was shut down.
''The Sims Stories''
''
The Sims Stories ''The Sims Stories'' is a series of video games from ''The Sims'' series released between 2007 and 2008, based on a modified version of ''The Sims 2'' game engine. The modified game engine is optimized for play on systems with weaker specifications, ...
'' is a series of video games from ''The Sims'' series released in 2007–2008 based on a modified version of ''The Sims 2''
game engine
A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games and generally includes relevant libraries and support programs. The "engine" terminology is similar to the term "software engine" used in the software i ...
. The modified engine is optimized for play on systems with weaker specifications, such as
laptop
A laptop, laptop computer, or notebook computer is a small, portable personal computer (PC) with a screen and alphanumeric keyboard. Laptops typically have a clam shell form factor with the screen mounted on the inside of the upper li ...
s.
In addition to a Free Play mode with classic, open-ended gameplay, the games contain a structured, linear story mode where players are required to complete a series of goals to progress in the storyline. Three games have been released to date.
''The Sims Carnival''
''The Sims Carnival'' was a casual game brand of ''The Sims''. It had two separate product lines; the first was an online community of crowd-sourced web games and the second was a line of packaged game titles sold via retail stores and digital downloads.
''The Sims Medieval''
''The Sims Medieval'' is an action role-playing spin-off game released in 2011. It is set in medieval times, and although it is based on ''The Sims 3'' engine, it plays very differently. ''The Sims Medieval'' has one expansion pack, ''Pirates and Nobles''.
''The Sims Social''
Launched in August 2011, ''
The Sims Social
''The Sims Social'' was a Facebook addition to the ''Sims'' series of video games. It was announced during the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011 press conference. As with the original ''Sims'' games, ''The Sims Social'' lets the user create th ...
'' was a
Flash
Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Fictional aliases
* Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed:
** Flash (Barry Allen)
** Flash (Jay Garrick)
** Wally West, the first Kid ...
-based game developed by
Playfish
Playfish was a developer of free-to-play social network games. Playfish was founded in 2007 by Kristian Segerstråle, Sebastien de Halleux, Sami Lababidi, and Shukri Shammas. It closed in 2013. Playfish in the past had attracted up to 55 million ...
for
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
. EA announced the game was upgraded from Beta to Live status in a press release issued on August 23, 2011. Due to players' negative responses, the game has been shut down and was removed from Facebook on June 14, 2013.
Console and handheld versions
''The Sims'' era
''The Sims'' was the game's first console release and shares the same name as the PC game. It was released for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
,
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
, and Nintendo
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
. The gameplay is similar to the PC version but follows a mission-based storyline in addition to the sandbox mode found in the original game. Objectives are added which allow the player to unlock new furniture and locations.
''
The Sims Bustin' Out
''The Sims Bustin' Out'' is a video game that was released in 2003/2004 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance and N-Gage. It is the second title in ''The Sims'' console series and the first ''The Sims'' title not released on ...
'' is the second title in ''The Sims'' console series. ''Bustin' Out'' was released in the fourth quarter of 2003 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube. Much like its predecessor, the game features two modes: Bust Out Mode, which is mission-based gameplay, and Freeplay Mode which is similar to the original ''The Sims'' PC game. The PlayStation 2 version featured the option to play online, though EA no longer supports it. Separate handheld versions were developed for the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
and
N-Gage, which allow the player to directly control the Sim character for the first time.
''
The Urbz: Sims in the City'' is a game focused on Sims living in an urban setting within Sim City. The player must earn a reputation and complete tasks for characters. It was released for Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo GameCube. It features
Black Eyed Peas as NPCs. Like ''The Sims Bustin' Out'', separate handheld versions were developed for the
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
and the Game Boy Advance, which serve as a sequel to their predecessors.
''The Sims 2''
''
The Sims 2
''The Sims 2'' is a 2004 strategic life simulation video game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the second major title in ''The Sims'' series, and is the sequel to ''The Sims.'' The game was released for Microsoft Windo ...
'', ''
The Sims 2: Pets'', and ''
The Sims 2: Castaway'' have been released for various platforms including the Wii, PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox, and Nintendo DS systems. ''
The Sims 2: Apartment Pets'', considered a sequel to ''The Sims 2: Pets'' by Electronic Arts, was only released for the Nintendo DS.
In addition, EA has released several ''The Sims'' titles for the
iPod Nano
The iPod Nano (stylised and marketed as iPod nano) is a discontinued portable media player designed and formerly marketed by Apple Inc. The first generation model was introduced on September 7, 2005, as a replacement for the iPod Mini, usin ...
(3rd and 4th generation), the
iPod Classic
The iPod Classic (stylized and marketed as iPod classic and formerly iPod Video or just iPod) is a discontinued portable media player created and formerly marketed by Apple Inc.
There were six generations of the iPod Classic, as well as a sp ...
, and the
iPod (5th generation). Some of these titles include: ''The Sims Bowling'', ''The Sims DJ'', and ''The Sims Pool''.
''MySims''
''MySims'' is a series of
console
Console may refer to:
Computing and video games
* System console, a physical device to operate a computer
** Virtual console, a user interface for multiple computer consoles on one device
** Command-line interface, a method of interacting with ...
games created by EA for the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
and
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
(with SkyHeroes being the exception). They feature
Chibi-like characters (a tiny bit smaller and similar to the Wii's
Mii
A Mii ( ) is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. Miis were first introduced on the Wii console in 2006 and later appeared on the 3DS, Wii U, the Switch, and various apps for smart devices. Miis c ...
avatars). The first game in the series was released in September 2007. ''MySims SkyHeroes'', the newest addition to the ''MySims'' line of games, was released in September 2010.
''The Sims 3''
''
The Sims 3'', ''
The Sims 3: World Adventures'', and ''
The Sims 3: Ambitions'' were released for
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
. In addition, ''The Sims 3'' was also released for
Android,
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
,
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
,
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
,
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
and
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
. The 3DS version of the game was a launch title for the console. ''
The Sims 3: Pets'' was released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo 3DS.
''The Sims 4''
Versions for the
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
and
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
consoles were released on November 17, 2017. Unlike previous console ports, the console version of ''The Sims 4'' has feature parity with the PC/Mac version, and also shares the same expansion packs, "game packs", "stuff packs" and "kits".
''The Sims FreePlay''
''
The Sims FreePlay
''The Sims FreePlay'' is a strategic life simulation game developed by EA Mobile and later with Firemonkeys Studios. It is a freemium version of ''The Sims'' for mobile devices; it was released for iOS on December 15, 2011, released for Andro ...
'' is the first
free-to-play
Free-to-play (F2P or FtP) video games are games that give players access to a significant portion of their content without paying or do not require paying to continue playing. Free-to-play is distinct from traditional commercial software, which ...
version of ''The Sims'', for
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
and
Android, was released worldwide on December 15, 2011, for iOS devices, and on February 15, 2012, for Android. The game made it to
Kindle Fire
The Amazon Fire, formerly called the Kindle Fire, is a line of tablet computers developed by Amazon. Built with Quanta Computer, the Kindle Fire was first released in November 2011, featuring a color 7-inch multi-touch display with IPS techn ...
in October 2012, to
BlackBerry 10
BlackBerry 10 is a discontinued proprietary mobile operating system for the BlackBerry line of smartphones, both developed by BlackBerry Limited (formerly Research In Motion). BlackBerry 10 is based on QNX, a Unix-like operating system that was ...
on July 31, 2013, and
Windows Phone 8
Windows Phone 8 is the second generation of the Windows Phone mobile operating system from Microsoft. It was released on October 29, 2012, and, like its predecessor, it features a flat user interface based on the Metro design language. It was su ...
in September 2013. Unlike other ''Sims'' games, ''The Sims FreePlay'' runs in real-time and takes real-time to complete actions. Players can progress through 55 levels and unlock new content, create up to 34 Sims, build town map buildings, and complete goals to earn Lifestyle Points, Simoleons, Social Points, and XP (Experience Points). All of these (except for Social Points) can be obtained by baking, planting, going to school (Only for preteens and teens), or working. To get Social Points, you will have to go to neighboring houses or add your Facebook friends.
''The Sims Mobile''
''
The Sims Mobile
''The Sims Mobile'' is a life simulation game based on ''The Sims 4'' and '' The Sims FreePlay'' for Android and iOS devices. It was announced on May 9, 2017, in a launch trailer. The game was released on March 6, 2018. It features a multiplaye ...
'' is the second
free-to-play
Free-to-play (F2P or FtP) video games are games that give players access to a significant portion of their content without paying or do not require paying to continue playing. Free-to-play is distinct from traditional commercial software, which ...
version of ''The Sims'' for
Android and
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
, ''
The Sims Mobile
''The Sims Mobile'' is a life simulation game based on ''The Sims 4'' and '' The Sims FreePlay'' for Android and iOS devices. It was announced on May 9, 2017, in a launch trailer. The game was released on March 6, 2018. It features a multiplaye ...
'' was announced on May 9, 2017, in a launch trailer with a soft launch for Brazil, and was released worldwide on March 6, 2018. It features multiplayer and story-mode elements in an attempt to offer a playing experience akin to the main ''Sims'' installments.
Legacy
The success of ''The Sims'' has resulted in
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
awarding the series numerous world records, including, as of 2017, "Most Expansion Packs for a Videogame Series" and "Best Selling PC Game Series", with sales estimates ranging from 36 to 50 million units. The series ranks 10th among the
best-selling video game franchises of all times, with a sales figure of over 200 million combining all the entries in the series.
As of October 2019, all ''The Sims'' games combined generated lifetime sales of more than US$5 billion.
Cancelled film
A
live-action
Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ga ...
drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
based upon the franchise was announced in 2007. ''The Sims'' film rights had been purchased by
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
in the same year. It was to be written by
Brian Lynch and produced by
John Davis. However, the film remained in
development hell
Development hell, development purgatory, and development limbo are media and software industry jargon for a project, concept, or idea that remains in development for an especially long time, often moving between different crews, scripts, game engi ...
for a number of years. In 2019, following
Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox's assets, the film along with numerous video game-based movies in development at Fox were cancelled.
Reality television show
EA, in partnership with Turner Sports and BuzzFeed, created ''The Sims Spark'd'', a four-episode
reality competition
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
television show that premiered on the
TBS network on July 17, 2020. The series, filmed from December 9 to 14, 2019, features 12 contestants, selected from those known to feature ''The Sims'' in their online gaming channels, tasked with challenges within ''
The Sims 4
''The Sims 4'' is a social simulation game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the fourth major title in ''The Sims'' series, and is the sequel to '' The Sims 3'' (2009). The game was released in North America on Septem ...
'' to create characters and stories following the challenge's themes and limitations. Each competitors' creation is judged by a panel consisting of YouTube personality
Kelsey Impicciche
Kelsey Impicciche is an American YouTuber. She made gaming content on ''BuzzFeed Multiplayer'' before leaving the company in 2021. She is known for her videos in which she completed the '100 Baby Challenge' in The Sims 4
''The Sims 4'' is ...
, singer and songwriter
Tayla Parx
Taylor is a unisex given name mainly in use in English-speaking countries, including England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The name Taylor also has been well used for characters on American and now some Australi ...
, and EA Maxis developer Dave Miotke, with the finalist winning a prize. The show is hosted by ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
''
season 14 finalist
Rayvon Owen
Rayvon Owen (born June 27, 1991) is an American singer and musician. He is notable for appearing on the fourteenth season of ''American Idol'', where he finished in fourth place. Owen served as the host for the reality competition series '' The ...
.
See also
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List of ''The Sims'' video games
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List of ''Sim'' video games
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sims, The
Electronic Arts franchises
God games
LGBT-related video games
Life simulation games
Satirical video games
Video game franchises introduced in 2000
Casual games
Maxis
Metafictional video games