The Sims is a video game that has become a cultural phenomenon for over 20 years. In fact, it is one of the most successful video games of all time. The player creates virtual people called “Sims,” places them in homes, and controls their lives from the moment they are born to the moment they die.
Game designer Will Wright was inspired to create the original game while trying to rebuild his life after losing his home during the Great Oakland Fire of 1991. While replacing his house and furniture, he began to think about how he could adapt that experience into a game.
Previously, he had worked on SimCity, a city-building simulation game. Game publishers balked at the idea of SimCity. This led Wright to found his own company, Maxis, with Jeff Braun.
SimCity was released by Maxis in 1989.
But when Wright presented the Sims idea to the Maxis board, there was some skepticism. Fortunately, the executives at Electronic Arts (EA) were more receptive (EA acquired Maxis in 1997).
Since then, the franchise has grown a lot, although Wright is no longer a part of the project. He left Maxis before The Sims 3 was released.
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Below you can see how The Sims over the years:
The Sims (2000)
When Electronic Arts acquired Maxis, Wright was put in touch with the team he needed to bring the idea to life. The first game was released in February 2000 for Microsoft Windows.
The Sims allowed players to create a family and control the lives of its members. Essentially, gamers are responsible for the daily life activities of their Sims.
With an initial fortune of §20,000, players can purchase an empty plot of land for their family and then build and decorate their own home.
However, Sims also had some basic needs (such as food, bathing, etc.), which players had to satisfy.
Sims could also find jobs to increase their income, build relationships with others, and even die, just like in real life.
The original game had many expansion packs, as it was a great success.
These expansion packs include: Livin' Large, House Party, Hot Date, Vacation, Unleashed, Superstar, and Makin' Magic.
The Sims Online (2002)
The game was released in December 2002.It was later renamed EA Land.
The Sims Online reinvented The Sims as a massively multiplayer online game, where players can interact with each other.
The spin-off was not as successful as the original game and was unable to surpass its biggest competitor at the time: Second Life. In August 2008, EA Land ceased production.
The Sims Bustin' Out (2003)
While the first games were created for Microsoft Windows, Bustin' Out was a video game for the Game Boy Advance, GameCube, N-Gage, PlayStation 2 , and Xbox.
The Urbz: Sims In The City (2004)
Like Bustin' Out, The Urbz: Sims In The City was not available on Windows computers, but on Game Boy Advance, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox , and Nintendo DS.
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The Sims 2 (2004)
The Sims 2 comes in a fully 3D environment, unlike the original game. It takes place more than 20-25 years after the original game. Sims now have personalities and can create memories. Each Sim has Desires and Fears, which affect their ultimate life goal.
Sims may crave money or power, care more about their family, or pursue their career, and become happier if they consistently fulfill their goals.
The ability to create a Sim has been significantly changed to allow for more customization options for your Sim.
In addition, the baby that is born inherits characteristics of appearance and personality from its parents.
The Sims also have seven life stages, each offering unique experiences related to each age.
The game was also very successful and had many expansion packs: University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, Free Time, Apartment Life.
The game also had several stuff packs.
The Sims 2 and the Pets expansion pack have been released for various platforms, including the Wii, PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox , and Nintendo DS.
MySims (2007)
MySims is a video game for the Wii and Nintendo DS, released in September 2007.The following year, it was released for Microsoft Windows.
In addition to MySims, there are several other games in this spin-off series: MySims Kingdom, MySims Party, MySims Racing, MySims Agents, and MySims SkyHeroes.
The Sims Stories (2007)
Stories is another spin-off, consisting of video games based on a modified version of the Sims 2 engine. The modified game engine is optimized for systems with weaker specifications, such as laptops.
The Sims Carnival (2008)
It is a spin-off series created by EA, with two separate product lines. The service was discontinued in January 2011.
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The Sims 3 (2009)
EA released The Sims 3 in June 2009, despite it having been announced in November 2006. The game is set more than 20 years before the original game.
Here, Sims can roam the neighborhood and go to different places. The game includes improved Sim creation tools and introduces distinct desires and goals for each member of the Sim family.
The game sold 1.4 million copies in its first week, making it the biggest release in PC gaming history at the time.
EA released many expansion packs and stuff packs.
Some of the expansion packs are: World Adventures, Ambitions, Late Night, Generations, Pets, Showtime, Supernatural, Seasons, University Life, Island Paradise, Into the Future.
The Sims 3, Ambitions, and World Adventures were also released for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
This version was also released for Android devices, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 in 2010 — and for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011.
Pets was released for Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
The Sims Medieval (2011)
This is another spin-off that was released in 2011. It is based on the Sims 3 engine, but it takes place in another era and is quite different.
Medieval has an expansion pack called Pirates and Nobles.
The Sims Social (2011)
The Sims Social was released in August 2011. It was a Flash-based game developed by Playfish and EA for Facebook.
As with the original games, Social allows the user to create a character. However, the player uses their character to interact with characters created by their Facebook friends.
The game also includes remakes featuring famous people, such as Lady Sim-Sim (Lady Gaga) and Elvis Plumbob (Elvis Presley).
The game was discontinued and removed from Facebook in June 2013.
The Sims FreePlay (2011)
This game is the first free version of the game for iOS and Android. It was released in December 2011 for iOS devices and in February 2012 for Android.
The Sims FreePlay was also available on Kindle Fire, BlackBerry 10, and Windows Phone 8.
Unlike other games in the series, FreePlay runs in real time. The game features 55 levels, and as players progress they can unlock new content and create up to 34 Sims.
The Sims 4 (2014)
The Sims 4 is quite different from previous games. The most important new feature is SmartSim, which means Sims can express emotions based on the events happening around them. Players can customize the appearance of their Sims exactly how they want.
However, there were a lot of things missing when it first launched. The toddler age was noticeably absent. Additionally, swimming pools and other things were not available.
However, various updates were made that corrected these shortcomings and added various features.
This version also has several expansion packs: Get to Work, Get Together, City Living, Cats & Dogs, Seasons, Get Famous, Island Living, Discover University, Eco Lifestyle, Snowy Escape, Cottage Living.
The Sims Mobile (2018)
The Sims Mobile is the second free version of the game for Android and iOS. It was released in March 2018.
Like Freeplay, it strives to offer players an experience similar to that provided by the main versions.
This was a brief history of the popular game The Sims. The many editions and expansion packs that have been released over the years show the game's huge success around the world.
