Welcome to TSR Academy! One of the first principles of this Academy in our first course is the History of Sims. Don’t worry! There will be a quiz at the end of this chapter, but only for those who want to take it! Just a warning, we are going way back in time as the original Sims officially came out in February 2000.
What is TSR Academy
The TSR Academy is our upcoming extensive educational course that provides everything you need to know about The Sims. We have loads of articles and videos planned for TSR Academy. But all are in good time, so stay tuned for Sims!
Fun bonus fact: TSR’s release was before The Sims, August 27, 1999.
Regardless, before I go on a tangent, let’s dive into the History of Sims!
Who Created The Sims
The Sims 3 Autonomy
The Sims was developed by Maxis, published by Electronic Arts, EA, and was released to the world on February 4, 2000. Will Wright is an American game designer credited with creating the Sims. He is also the co-founder of Maxis. Sims originated as a virtual doll house themed around the Sims City theme of a ‘God game.’ A God game is the term used for a game where the player controls the game but does not actively participate, focusing more on the control of the game and its inhabitants. But evolved into a full-blown life simulator game. Of course, there are names in the Sims franchise that match the theme of SimCity. You see loads of llamas in both games, and the Landgraabs are a part of both.
The Original Sims
The Sims was released on February 4, 2000, and is still one of the best-selling video games of all time, with over two hundred million copies sold worldwide. The game focuses on controlling the lives of the Sims, decorating their homes, and building lots or homes for them. Sims have a basic needs system that must be maintained to stay alive and happy while going to work, being social, and completing chores. Sims frequently set themselves on fire and had a range of strange behavior, making them comical to watch and control.
Expansions
The original Sims has seven expansion packs; Living’ Large, House Party, Hot Date, Vacation, Unleashed, Superstar, and Making Magic. All of these expansions had themes based around them, and my favorite was definitely Superstar, where you could karaoke and sing your way to fame!
The Sims 2
Things started to heat up in 2004 with the launch of the Sims 2 on September 14, 2004. Sims 2 was released for PCs and consoles. By Spring 2008, The Sims had already sold thirteen million copies. There were some significant improvements between the original Sims and The Sims 2. The Sims 2 was the first in the series to use a 3D graphics engine that gave players a 360-degree-angle view. The Sims 2 also added genetics, scripted events, aspirations, and rewards. It is no wonder that The Sims 2 is considered one of the best video games of all time.
Expansions
The Sims 2 has eight expansion packs and nine stuff packs, covering many of the Sims’ basic needs, including pets, vampires, universities, vacations, and business ownership. My personal favorite was Sims 2 University. I loved creating chaos with my dormers in this expansion pack!
The Sims 3
The Sims 3 Loading
In the history of Sims, Sims 3 is often viewed as the most favored Many Simmers will say they enjoy The Sims 3 as the best of the Sims series. The Sims 3 was released on June 2, 2009, and has loads to offer Simmers even today. You do see a lot of familiar names from The Sims and The Sims 2, in the Sims 3. The timeline is a little off, but timeline-wise, The Sims 3 is about twenty-five to fifty years after The Sims 2, pending the character.
The Sims 3 open world
PC Gamer and ING have awarded The Sims 3, and it is no wonder this is one of the most all-time loved games within the series. The big takeaways for game improvement from The Sims 2 to The Sims 3 are major Create Sim additions and enhancements, free-roam worlds, customizable worlds, more gameplay and options, a better build/buy interface, and more customizable options in build/buy modes. If you have not played The Sims 3, it has an auto roof feature that makes building much easier!
Expansions
The Sims 3 had eleven expansion packs, numerous stuff packs, and downloadable worlds. The Expansions and packs were similar themes but also included Generations, Seasons, and new features in each Expansion. My personal favorite Sims 3 expansion was World Adventures, as you could explore the unique types of worlds on holidays or have more of a treasure-hunting exploration. I love having multiple kinds of worlds to take my Sims.
The Sims 4
In the history of Sims, The Sims 4 is the newest edition of the series. The Sims 4 was released on September 2, 2014. This is the current version of the Sims. Yes, the Sims 4 has been around since 2014. The Sims 4 added more emotional states to the series and more customizable options for Create a Sim and Build/buy mode. The most obvious difference is the updated graphics.
Expansions
Image from the Lovestruck Expansion Pack Blog found HERE
There are definitely more DLC packs in The Sims 4, as the base game comes with just the basics to start the game. This edition of the series did come with many community concerns, as the base game was seen as very basic. However, with sixteen Expansion Packs, plus more Game Packs and kits, there have been loads of content added.
The Future of Sims
So what is next for the Sims… Well, we know Project Rene is underway, and from the screenshots shared by EA, it looks like a significant graphic update and a nice-looking decorating system. But aside from the bits we have been shown and that EA was hiring playtesters, we do not know when it is coming out. The Sims 4 is still a trendy game, and I imagine we still have at least one or two more expansions coming out. But who knows for sure? Dates and timelines for video game production change frequently, so when we know for sure, we will let you know!
TSR Academy Links
We hope you enjoyed this chapter of TSR Academy on the History of Sims and cannot wait to provide you with more resources!
TSR Academy Main Page – Comming Soon
Keep up with more Sims stuff and what I’m up to on X @TSR Jezi or @JeziTSR on Instagram.
