| The Sims | |
|---|---|
 Microsoft Windows cover art | |
| Developer(s) |
|
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Kana Ryan |
| Designer(s) | Will Wright |
| Programmer(s) | Jeffrey Charvat Jim Mackraz |
| Artist(s) | Charles London |
| Writer(s) | Sean Baity |
| Composer(s) | Jerry Martin Marc Russo |
| Series | The Sims |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows,Mac OS,Mac OS X,PlayStation 2,Linux,GameCube,Xbox[b] |
| Release | Microsoft Windows Mac OS PlayStation 2 LinuxGameCube,Xbox |
| Genre(s) | Social simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single-player Multi-player |
The Sims is asocial simulation video game developed byMaxis and published byElectronic Arts in 2000. The game allows players to create and control virtual people, called "Sims", and manage their daily lives in a suburban setting. The game features an open-ended gameplay, where players can choose their own goals and objectives, and customize their Sims' appearance, personality, skills, relationships, and environment. A series of expansion packs were also released that add new content and features to the game, such as new careers, items, locations, and scenarios.
The game's development was led byWill Wright, and the game was a follow-up to Wright's earlierSimCity series. Wright was inspired to create the game byChristopher Alexander's 1977 bookA Pattern Language, andScott McCloud's 1993 bookUnderstanding Comics later played a role in the game's design.Seven expansion packs were released from 2000 to 2003, each of which added new items, characters, skins, and features.
Upon release,The Sims garnered widespread critical acclaim and was described by Wright as being successful in attracting casual male and female gamers. The game is regarded as one of the most influential andgreatest games of all time. It won several awards and placed 31st onTime's The 50 Best Video Games of All Time list. The game has also been commercially successful having sold more than 41 million copies worldwide across the original game and its expansions by 2004.[10] Currently the Sims has sold a estimated 70 million copies worldwide[11] making it one of thebest-selling pc games of all time. Several sequels inThe Sims series have been released —The Sims 2 in 2004,The Sims 3 in 2009, andThe Sims 4 in 2014.
The structure of the game is anartificial life program that isagent-based. The presentation of the game'sartificial intelligence is advanced, and the Sims will respond to outside conditions independently, although often the player's intervention is necessary to keep the Sims on the right track.The Sims technically has unlimitedreplay value, in that there is no way to truly win the game, and the player can play indefinitely. It has been described as more like a toy than a game.[12]
Sims are influenced by the player to interact with objects or other Sims. Sims may receive guests at their home lot, invited or not, from other playable lots, or from unhousednon-player character (NPC) Sims. If enabled in the game's options, Sims have a certain amount offree will, allowing them to autonomously interact with their world; however, the player can override most of these autonomous actions by canceling them in the action queue at the top of the screen. Unlike the simulated environments in games such asSimCity,SimEarth, orSimLife, Sims are not fully autonomous.[13] They are unable to take certain actions without specific commands, such as paying bills, finding a job, exercising, and conceiving children. Sims communicate in a fictional language calledSimlish, which is mostly composed ofblowing raspberries and saying nonsense.[14]
The player can make decisions about time spent in skill development, such as exercise, reading, creativity, and logic by adding activities to Sims' daily agenda. Daily needs such as hygiene and eating can and must also be scheduled. Although Sims can autonomously perform these actions, they may not prioritize them effectively and can suffer consequences for neglecting their own needs. In addition, Sims must maintain balanced budgets and usually supplement an income by obtaining a job. Sims may earn promotions by fulfilling skills and maintaining friendships with others for each level, which lead to new job titles, increased wages, and different work hours. Alternatively, Sims may create and sell various artwork and items at home.[12]
While there is no eventual objective to the game, states of failure do exist inThe Sims. One is that Sims may die, either by starvation, drowning, fire, or electrocution (or from natural causes/age in certain versions). When a Sim dies, a tombstone or an urn will appear (in later expansion packs, theGrim Reaper will appear first),[13] and the ghost of the deceased Sim may haunt the building where it died. In addition, Sims can leave the game for good and never return. If two adult Sims with a bad relationshipbrawl often, it may result in one of them moving out. Children will be sent away to military school if they fail their classes. Lastly, not fulfilling a baby Sim's needs will result in asocial care worker permanently taking the baby away from the household.[14]
When the "Live" mode occurs in the game, the player may enter "Build" mode or "Buy" mode to pause time and renovate the house or lot. When the game begins, each family starts off with 20,000simoleons (regardless of its number of members). These funds can be used to purchase a small house or vacant lot on the neighborhood screen.[13] After purchasing a lot, a user may construct or remodel a house in Build mode or purchase or move furniture in Buy mode. All architectural and customizable features and furnishings in Build and Buy modes follow a square-tile system in which items must be placed on a tile. Walls and fences extend along the edge of a tile and can follow the edge of the tile or cross it diagonally, but furniture items cannot be placed on either side of a crossed tile. The base game contains over 150 items, including furniture and architectural elements.[13]
In addition, the game includes an architecture system. The game was originally designed solely as an architecture simulator, with the Sims there only to evaluate the houses, but during development, it was decided that the Sims were more interesting than originally anticipated, and their once-limited role in the game was developed further.[15] Players have a broad choice of objects that their respective Sims may purchase. Objects fall into one of eight broad categories: seating, surfaces, decorations, electronics, appliances, plumbing, lighting, and miscellaneous.[16]
The original inspiration forThe Sims wasChristopher Alexander's 1977 book on architecture andurban design,A Pattern Language. Game designer Will Wright was inspired by the book's focus on functionality in architecture, as Alexander based his design principles on structural usability rather than aesthetic values. Wright wanted to create a simulation game about enabling human behavior and interaction through design.Scott McCloud's 1993 bookUnderstanding Comics became a big influence on the design ofThe Sims later on, as it advocates a certain type of "collaboration" between designer and consumer and outlines the value ofabstraction for getting readers or players involved with a story.[17]
Will Wright started working onThe Sims after releasingSimAnt in 1991.[17] It was during that same year that he lost his home during theOakland firestorm of 1991, and he incorporated his experience of rebuilding his life into the game;[18][19] however, the game's concept was very poorly received by afocus group, so Wright had difficulty getting the project off the ground. He managed to convince his company to let him work on the project (codenamed "Project X" at the time) in the background while developingSimCity 2000 andSimCopter. He was lent one programmer for the project, Jamie Doornbos, who went on to become the lead programmer forThe Sims. During the first few years of the project, Wright and Doornbos were primarily developing an open-ended system of character behavior. As the project continued, Wright found that the social aspect of the game turned out to be highly engaging, and the team started to focus more on the characters of the game, such as by letting Sims visit one another's houses and by implementing long-term relationships.[17]
Wright has mentioned playingLittle Computer People and receiving valuable feedback onThe Sims from several people involved with the game including its designer, Rich Gold.[20] A demo of the game was presented at the 1999Electronic Entertainment Expo. During a displaying in front of the press, two female characters at an in-game wedding fell in love and kissed each other. After the event, the relationship mechanics were further modified so the character'ssexual orientation was set depending on the player's actions.[21]The Sims uses a combination of3D and2D graphics techniques. The Sims themselves are rendered in 3D, whereas the house and all its objects are pre-rendered and displayeddiametrically.[14] For the game's Japanese release, the game was renamed toSimPeople (シムピープル) to match the naming conventions of the otherSim games from Maxis.[22]
The game music was composed byJerry Martin,[23]Marc Russo, Kirk R. Casey,[24] and Dix Bruce, with additional participation from jazz pianist John R. Burr for the songs used in the game's Build Mode.[25] The game disc contains 37 tracks, of which 15 were published in 2007 as an official soundtrack album.[26] Most of the tracks contain no vocals, but some of them feature Simlish lyrics.
In recent years, critics have praised and noted the game's use of new age and jazz music.[27][28]
The Sims is credited with opening up modding to a new demographic, making it easy enough for "casual modders" to modify the game.[29]The Sims was designed in a way that it would be easy to add user-created content (also known as custom content or "CC") to the game,[30] with Will Wright stating in an interview that he wanted to put the player in the design role.[31] Websites for downloading CCs and mods include The Sims Resource andMod The Sims. Maxis releasedmodding tools forThe Sims before the game itself, resulting in a suite of fan-created mods being available at launch.[30]
The Sims had a total of sevenexpansion packs released in its lifecycle. Each expansion generally adds new items, neighborhoods, characters, skins, and features.
| Name | Release date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Livin' Large (known asLivin' It Up in Europe) |
| Adds new unconventional characters, careers, items, and features for the home.[33] |
| House Party |
| Gives players the ability and facilities to hold parties and gatherings in their Sims' homes.Drew Carey makes a cameo appearance in the game if the player's Sims hold a good enough party.[34] |
| Hot Date |
| Adds new items, characters, and the ability for Sims to leave their homes and travel to new destinations. Adds new destination, "Downtown", composed of ten new lots. Introduces a revamped relationship system involving short- and long-term relationships. Adds ability to carry inventory and give gifts to other Sims.[35] |
| Vacation (known asOn Holiday in the UK, Ireland, China, Portugal, and Scandinavia) |
| Introduces a new destination called "Vacation Island" where Sims can take vacations with family members or with other Sims and marks the first time Sims can stay on lots away from home. Adds the ability to save the game while a Sim is on Vacation Island. Allows Sims to purchase or find souvenirs, stay at a hotel, or rent a tent/igloo.[36] |
| Unleashed |
| Introduces pets into the game. Allows dogs and cats to be treated as Sims rather than objects. Introduces gardening and expands original ten-lot neighborhood to over forty lots, with the added ability to rezone these lots for residential or community use. Allows community lots to be modified to shops, cafes, and other commercial establishments.[37] |
| Superstar |
| Allows Sims to become entertainment figures and includes representations of several famous personalities. Celebrities can make cameo appearances but cannot be controlled by the player. Adds new work and leisure items, and a new destination called "Studio Town", which functions as a workplace for celebrity Sims. Allows non-celebrity Sims to visit Studio Town for leisure.[38] |
| Makin' Magic |
| Introduces magic to the game and allows Sims to cast spells, forge charms, and buy alchemical ingredients. Introduces the Magic Town lots, which house vendors of magical ingredients and items and a number of magic-related mini-games. Introduces baking and nectar-making. Adds additional residential lots in Magic Town.[39] |
| Name | Release date | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| The Sims | Windows:
July 18, 2000 Linux: March 12, 2003 | The first release of the core game on a single CD. |
| The Sims: Collector's Edition[40] | Windows:
| The core game andThe Sims: Livin' it Up |
| The Sims: Party Pack | Windows:
| The core game andThe Sims: House Party |
| The Sims Deluxe Edition | Windows: | Contains an updated version of the core game,The Sims: Livin' Large,The Sims Creator and exclusive items and clothing on a two-disc installation. It can also be installed as an expansion for existing game owners. |
| The Sims Double Deluxe | Windows: | The Sims: Deluxe Edition,The Sims: House Party, and a disc containing African and Asian-themed items and previously-downloadable items from the game's website. |
| The Sims Mega Deluxe | Windows:
| The Sims Double Deluxe andThe Sims: Hot Date. Known asThe Sims Party Pack in Europe, and only released on Mac OS X. |
| The Sims Triple Deluxe | Windows:
| The Sims Double Deluxe andThe Sims: On Holiday. |
| The Complete Collection of The Sims | Windows: | The Sims Triple Deluxe,The Sims: Hot Date,The Sims: Unleashed,The Sims: Superstar andThe Sims: Makin' Magic within a twelve-disc boxset. Australian/Asian release is calledThe Sims: Full House and includes an extra disc containing footage fromThe Sims 2 |
| The Sims: Complete Collection | Windows: | The core game, all seven expansions,The Sims Creator and bonus content fromDeluxe Edition andDouble Deluxe on a four-disc installation. |
| The Sims: Legacy Collection | Windows: January 31, 2025 | Re-release ofComplete Collection, containing the core game, all seven expansions and bonus content fromDeluxe Edition andDouble Deluxe.[41] Also includesThe Sims 4: Throwback Fit Kit. |
| Collection Name | Windows release date | Volumes |
|---|---|---|
| The Sims Expansion Collection | March 15, 2005 | Volume One –The Sims: House Party andThe Sims: Unleashed Volume Two –The Sims: Hot Date andThe Sims: Makin' Magic Volume Three –The Sims: Vacation andThe Sims: Superstar |
| The Sims Expansion Three-Pack | November 1, 2005 | Volume One –The Sims: House Party,The Sims: Unleashed, andThe Sims: Superstar Volume Two –The Sims: Hot Date,The Sims: Vacation, andThe Sims: Makin' Magic |
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | (PC) 90%[43] (PS2) 81%[44] (Xbox) 82%[45] (GCN) 86%[46] |
| Metacritic | (PC) 92%[42] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| AllGame |  (Windows)[47] (Macintosh)[48] |
| GamePro | [49] |
| GameSpot | 9.1/10[50] |
| IGN | 9.5/10[51] |
| Next Generation |  [52] |
| ActionTrip | 9.0/10[53] |
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| Interactive Achievement Awards | Game of the Year[54] Outstanding Achievement in Game Design Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering[55] |
| GameSpot | Game of the Year[56] |
| Game Developers Choice Awards | Game of the Year[57] |
| IGN | Best Simulation[58] |
The Sims received "universal acclaim" according to review aggregatorMetacritic, which assigned the game a score of 92%.[42] The game received praise for its open-ended gameplay allowing players to choose their own goals and objectives, as well as its sound design, "crisp" graphics, and humor. Reviewers positively comparedThe Sims to Maxis' 1999 titleSimCity 3000. GameSpot assigned a review of 9.1/10, describing it as "highly detailed".[50]IGN gave the game a score of 9.4/10, and praised its easy-to-use user interface.[51] Jeff Lundrigan reviewed the PC version of the game forNext Generation, rating it four stars out of five and saying: "Do not miss. Run do not walk. And set aside lots of time."[52]
Will Wright, the game's designer, said the game has been a success in many ways—attracting casual gamers and female gamers (the latter making up almost 60% of players).[59] In 2012, the game was one of 14 video games selected by theMuseum of Modern Art as the basis for an intended collection of 40 games.[60] ThePlayStation 2,Xbox, andGameCube ports received scores ranging from 81.05% to 85.80% onGameRankings.[44][45][46]
The Sims has won numerous awards, includingGameSpot's "Game of the Year Award" for 2000. During the3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (since 2013 known as theD.I.C.E. Awards),The Sims won "Game of the Year", "Outstanding Achievement in Game Design", and "Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering" (along with nominations for "Computer Family Entertainment Title of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction").[54][55][61]Game Informer ranked it the 80th best game ever made in its 100th issue in 2001.[62] In 2005,The Sims was inducted intoGameSpot's list of the greatest games of all time.[63] In 2016,The Strong National Museum of Play inductedThe Sims to itsWorld Video Game Hall of Fame.[64] In August 2016,The Sims placed 31st onTime's "50 Best Video Games of All Time" list.[65] In 2019, it was ranked 17th onThe Guardian's "50 Best Video Games of the 21st Century" list.[66]
The Sims was released on February 4, 2000,[67] and became a best-seller shortly after launch.[62] In the United States, it was the best-selling computer game of 2000, with domestic sales of 1.77 million units and revenues of $72.9 million.[68] It remained the country's No. 1 computer title in 2001,[69] when it sold an additional 1.48 million units and earned another $60.4 million in revenue.[70] In 2002,The Sims became the top-selling PC game in history at the time, displacingMyst by selling more than 6.3 million copies worldwide.[71]
By September 2004, the game and its expansions had sold 41 million copies worldwide.[10] By July 2006, the console versions ofThe Sims series had sold a combined 3.5 million units in the United States.[72]Next Generation rankedThe Sims as the 45th highest-selling game launched for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, or GameCube between January 2000 and July 2006 in the United States.[72] To date, the Sims had sold more than 70 million copies worldwide making it one of the best selling video games of all time.[11]
The Sims was followed by the sequelsThe Sims 2 (2004),The Sims 3 (2009), andThe Sims 4 (2014). The console versions ofThe Sims were each followed by a sequel,The Sims Bustin' Out (2003), and a spin-off game,The Urbz: Sims in the City (2004). These versions incorporate some features of later PC expansion packs, andBustin' Out adds amultiplayer mode supporting two simultaneous players.[73] When completing the game, Will Wright dedicatedThe Sims to the lateDanielle Bunten Berry, an influential trans game designer known for her innovation and contributions to multiplayer gaming.[74]
Company spokesman Frank Gibeau said more than half the "Sims 2" sales came from Europe. Combined sales of the original Sims and its numerous expansion packs, meanwhile, have topped 41 million units.
Consider this: the original Sims sold over fifty million copies, you can add another 20 million when including the expansions
But unlike other popular video and computer games, almost 60% of the people playing The Sims are female
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