The Sims Reaches 100 Million Units

[Haemorrhage]

Electronic Arts announced today that Maxis' franchise The Sims has sold over 100 million units since it debuted back in 2000.

From Shacknews: (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/52252)

That figure encompasses the whole of The Sims franchise, including The Sims (PC), The Sims 2 (PC), and countless expansion packs along with console and mobile phone versions. The next entry in the series, The Sims 3 on PC, is due out in 2009.

Behind two Nintendo franchises, Mario and Pokemon, the Sims is the best selling franchise in history. I wonder if GTA can break that soon?

[LongStepMantis]

I hope so.

I just don't get the appeal of the Sims. I've tried to play it more than once, but if I wanted to babysit a retarded person for fun, I would do it in real life and get paid to do so.

The one time I said "You know what, take care of yourself"...and left it running for a few hours without my supervision, my family all ended up fired from their jobs, unhappy, in massive debt and one of them even died in a cooking fire. Fun stuff.

[Nicodemus]

Behind two Nintendo franchises, Mario and Pokemon, the Sims is the best selling franchise in history. I wonder if GTA can break that soon?

I really doubt it. The Sims appeals to a generally untapped market in casual gamers. Even my sister wanted to buy The Sims 2 when it came out, and I think the last game she played was Oregon Trail in elementary school.

[LongStepMantis]

I really doubt it. The Sims appeals to a generally untapped market in casual gamers. Even my sister wanted to buy The Sims 2 when it came out, and I think the last game she played was Oregon Trail in elementary school.

Which I've always found the most odd. The amount of management required to truly keep them happy is ridiculous. I've never seen how casual gamers couldn't play for 5 minutes and go..."Woah...forget this."

But they don't, so I'm obviously missing something.

[Purple Santa]

Although there is a lot of management in the Sims, which really the whole point of the game, this type of "gameplay" appeals to casual gamers. If you look at other games that are on computers that casual gamers play, they are the kind that is easy to pick up and play. The Sims can get as complex or as simple as you like. It would be an interesting research study to understand the "play mechanic" that casual gamers find in the games they choose to play.

[tombofsoldier]

Which I've always found the most odd. The amount of management required to truly keep them happy is ridiculous. I've never seen how casual gamers couldn't play for 5 minutes and go..."Woah...forget this."

But they don't, so I'm obviously missing something.

You assume that casual gamers can't figure out complicated games, or somehow are turned off by them; this is a mistake. The percentage of "hardcore" gamers that enjoy complicated gameplay is probably little higher than the rest of the population. The difference isn't the complexity of the games, but what those games actually entail that is the primary factor in appealing to someone.

Although there is a lot of management in the Sims, which really the whole point of the game...

I wonder if it is. If the main point is guiding your oblivious little cretins Sims through the important parts of their lives then The Sims 3 might be considered brilliant, as it cuts down on the micro-management. If you are right though then EA is making a huge blunder, which would be entertaining to see.

[LongStepMantis]

You assume that casual gamers can't figure out complicated games, or somehow are turned off by them; this is a mistake. The percentage of "hardcore" gamers that enjoy complicated gameplay is probably little higher than the rest of the population. The difference isn't the complexity of the games, but what those games actually entail that is the primary factor in appealing to someone.


Point noted. And really, it makes sense, but I just don't normally associate games that I (who has been a hardcore gamer since Atari) play for 10 minutes and go "This is too much bullshit, I'm out" to be something your average Mom or non-conventional gamer would love doing.

But the numbers speak for themselves, so I am clearly wrong in my assumptions. It just seems so...odd. Of course, most casual gamers aren't going to play FF until their eyes bleed either, so I guess we're even. ;)

[Purple Santa]

I wonder if it is. If the main point is guiding your oblivious little cretins Sims through the important parts of their lives then The Sims 3 might be considered brilliant, as it cuts down on the micro-management. If you are right though then EA is making a huge blunder, which would be entertaining to see.

This is a good point. Management though could be seen as you described though. Guiding the "oblivious cretins" in dysfunctional fashion can be considered management. Not management like an RTS or something...but management nevertheless. It's just my guess. Maybe casual gamers see the Sims as a "sandbox" type game and that is the fun. You don't have to follow the rules or goals. You could just do almost anything with them or to them...similar to the way some play GTA. I know they are completely different games but in a way...they are both "sandbox" games...the ability to "play god"...not totally "god" games but modified...just food for thought.

[OSX]

Behind two Nintendo franchises, Mario and Pokemon, the Sims is the best selling franchise in history. I wonder if GTA can break that soon?

http://www.thegamesnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/esrb_m.png

Not in this lifetime.

[Rommel]

Are we including all "Sim" games by Mr. Wright, or just "Sims" games?