The Sims is a game present in many homes across the world, selling almost 200 million copies worldwide. The first game, The Sims, was released in 2000 and has kept popularity ever since.
It features open-ended gameplay where players control customizable characters, called Sims, in a suburban setting. Players can create their own goals and objectives as they build their Sims families and houses.
Along with the never-ending popularity came many mods to keep the playstyle fresh and interesting for players. Today, there is very little you cannot do in The Sims.
This freedom is what continues to draw so many players to the game, including those who don’t regularly play video games.
Player’s thoughts
Brig asked players a few questions about why they started playing and what draws them to the game.
One player said: “My first Sims game was The Sims 2 on the [Nintendo] DS. I like making characters and then cause drama, but I do get bored after a while.
“I just played for 18 hours over two days and then deleted the game again.”
Another said: “I started playing in 2013 when I got my own laptop, and I was obsessed.
“I play for family style gameplay. I like to focus on one main sim and play realistically with relationships.
“I’ll get the urge and play for three days straight then I realise how surface level the game feels and stop playing for months. I think the prep stage is the most fun, making your sims, coming up with their personalities and storylines. After that you get to actually play and it’s just dull.”
The responses from Brig’s survey showed that players had been introduced in various ways, from older siblings to YouTube to finding the game in a shop.
75 per cent of those surveyed said that they binge play rather than play regularly. Half of respondents also said they preferred a more realistic gameplay, playing for the family aspect.
This could be why so many choose to play in instalments. You can create the perfect daily life for yourself but after a while it will become mundane, unless you start playing into the fantasy element.
One commented that their favourite thing to do was “romancing the grim reaper”, while another spoke about how she liked to add in vampires and werewolves.
However you choose to play, it seems as though The Sims will stick around for the foreseeable future. It has been 23 years since the first release and players still hold it in a special place in their hearts – even if they only play once a year.
Featured Image Credit: @thesims ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter)
Second year student journalist studying Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Journalism Studies.
Writer for Brig and Discovery Music, Chief Sub Editor for Brig
