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The history of the creation of the Sims (part 1)
The origin of Sims dates back to 1991, when a fire destroyed the house of the American Will Wright, the game designer. He then imagines a video game dealing with human attachment for material things: house, furniture, objects, etc.
Reading the work of two authors allows the creator to SimCity (1989) to dig the concept of his future life simulation: first of all, the works of the anthropologist and architect Christopher Alexander, who are interested in the impact of architecture on the happiness of the inhabitants. Then, the writings of psychologist Abraham Maslow, who sought to prioritize human needs.
The game only really took shape from 1997, the period during which the studio co -founded by Will Wright, Maxis, was bought by Electronic Arts (EA). What is initially only a house of construction and house development games gradually becomes a life simulation with virtual characters.
When it was released in 2000, Sims is an anomaly in the video game landscape. Successful video games then focus on action and visual performance. Against all expectations, it’s a box. In 2002, sales of Sims exceed those of Myst. The game becomes the best -sold in the world on PC, with 6.3 million copies sold. Throughout the franchise, at least 200 million titles have been sold.
