| In the world of video games, there are game | | | | expansion packs and in 2004 launched a completely |
| categories such as shooters, adventure, action and | | | | new version, Sims 2. The new version has better |
| role playing. Then there is the Sims. This game was | | | | graphics and many more choices for your Sims and |
| introduced by Electronic Arts in February of 2000 and | | | | their families, who happily are still speaking Simlish. The |
| became a cultural phenomenon. It sold twenty million | | | | video engine is more 3D than the original 2D; |
| copies and generated the development of hundreds of | | | | characters in your game have more choices to make |
| fan sites devoted to their own personal Sims | | | | and more characteristics that make them interesting, |
| environment. | | | | down to genetic similarities when new family members |
| Sims was the first game that introduced a significant | | | | are born. You can customize the family dog - long hair |
| degree of online socialization through the use of a | | | | or short? Blue eyes or crossed? Intelligent companion |
| game platform. A Sims player creates his own family, | | | | or clumsy doofus? It's up to you. |
| buys or builds his own home, and has numerous | | | | By 2005, the audience for The Sims and its various |
| encounters with other characters generated by the | | | | expansions had swollen to over 52 million worldwide. |
| game's AI (artificial intelligence). Your Sim character, or | | | | The game has been translated into 17 languages, and |
| "avatar", goes through life experiencing career | | | | the franchise has seen life on platforms ranging from |
| changes, family development - many of the real-life | | | | the Xbox to mobile phones. |
| experiences that lurk outside our real-time doors. Its | | | | One of the principal characteristics of the Sims |
| unique character, in-game quirks (such as the gibberish | | | | phenomenon - and one that probably made it a |
| in which Sims communicate) and capacity for infinite | | | | uniquely popular game - is that it has drawn large |
| change made addicts out of millions. | | | | numbers of female players. The Sims has pulled the |
| The game makes the player the "deus ex machina:" | | | | neat trick of building a player base evenly split along |
| the off-screen God controlling individuals lives. As a | | | | gender lines, drawing in women without alienating male |
| player, you can help your Sim build not only home and | | | | gamers. Game publisher Electronic Arts estimates |
| family, but an entire neighborhood. Sufficient quirks and | | | | women could account for up to 60% of Sims players. |
| human neuroses are built into the game's characters | | | | According to Psychology Today, "most long-term |
| as they are introduced that the game remains an | | | | players say designing Sim households is the chief |
| addictive fascination for its players. As one reviewer | | | | delight of the game" and in fact, The Sims' construction |
| put it; "Want to play it straight and watch the lives of a | | | | and interior design aspects are as impressively realized |
| typical nuclear family? You can do that. But what if | | | | as its "human" element. Players can easily mirror their |
| you'd prefer to dress your Sim like a Viking and have | | | | real-world homes; one game analysis called Sims "the |
| him play his guitar for spare change in the subway | | | | Ikea game." Most video games have a product |
| while living with two women - she's a slacker and | | | | popularity curve, like every other consumer item. The |
| she's a paranormal - who are a couple? Go for it." | | | | Sims seems to be either defying or redefining this |
| The company followed its initial success with seven | | | | characteristic for the video game market. |