The Sims
News, coverage and analysis tracking The Sims across the outlets.
'Chibi tumba loonuck' may sound like gibberish, but The Sims have their own language. Can you translate the simlish phrases in our latest Sims series quiz?This article presents a quiz focused on translating Simlish, the fictional language used in The Sims video game series. It highlights how players can learn and recognize specific Simlish phrases and their meanings within The Sims 4 and other titles in the franchise.
Are these the 100 most influential games of all time?Kitfox Games CEO Tanya Short discusses a list of the 100 most influential video games of all time, compiled by professional game designers. The list, assembled through the Polaris game design retreat, aims to serve as a tool for designers to improve their craft and create influential games.
The grim industry summer continues as EA lays off staff ahead of $55 billion sale to Saudi Arabia, likely to soothe the…Electronic Arts is reportedly laying off an unknown number of staff ahead of its $55 billion sale to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which will hold a 93.4% stake. These layoffs, affecting teams like recruitment and customer support, are occurring before the acquisition closes, likely due to EA's significant loan debt. This follows a trend of industry layoffs, including Microsoft's recent actions after acquiring Activision Blizzard, and raises concerns about sportswashing.
EA are making another round of layoffs as they seek "to better meet fans’ changing needs", according to reportsElectronic Arts is reportedly conducting another round of layoffs across various departments, including recruitment, IT, and customer support, to "better meet fans’ changing needs." The exact number of affected employees is currently unknown, but the cuts include remote roles in the USA and staff in Hyderabad, India. This follows previous layoffs affecting the Skate developers Full Circle and the Battlefield 6 team earlier this year.
Preview: Paralives Feels More Like an RPG Than Life SimParalives offers a promising take on the life simulation genre with deep character customization and an RPG-like progression system. While the game's "Storyteller" cards and "Wants" system can feel repetitive and overly reliant on RNG, the building and decorating aspects are robust. The developers are actively updating the early access title, which is available on PC.
Study Measures Heart Rate Across 16 Games to Find the Most Stressful — Dark Souls Almost Wins, but Mario KartA study by BonusFinder US monitored the heart rates of 14 gamers across 16 titles to determine which games induce the most physiological stress. Mario Kart ranked highest for average heart rate increase over a 30-minute session, while Dark Souls III produced the most extreme peak heart rate spike during a boss fight. Conversely, games like Animal Crossing and The Sims were found to lower heart rates below resting levels.
EA announces new way to bring advertisements "directly into gameplay"Electronic Arts has launched EA Advertising, a new platform focused on integrating advertisements directly into its games, particularly within the EA Sports portfolio. The company aims to leverage its large player base for targeted ad placements, utilizing a proprietary ad server and measurement standards. Examples include branded jerseys in EA Sports FC 26 and product placements in games like Skate and The Sims.
Electronic Arts launches EA Advertising for ads in gamesElectronic Arts has launched EA Advertising, a new platform designed to integrate advertisements into its video games. This initiative will allow advertisers to place their products within popular franchises such as Madden NFL, EA Sports FC, and The Sims, aiming to enhance the player experience without disruption.
Tracing blueprints in Paralives is so easy it freed me from 25 years of The Sims' grid-based tyrannyParalives' gridless building system allows players to easily import and trace real-world blueprints, offering a level of freedom not found in The Sims' traditional grid-based approach. This feature enables more accurate and realistic house designs, though some structural elements like showers may still present scaling challenges.
Best Paralives Mods To DownloadThis guide highlights nine popular mods available for the life simulator game Paralives, which is still in its early stages of development. These mods aim to enhance the player experience by adding features like a Sims 3-style camera, custom tattoo options, improved game optimization, and more control over in-game elements.
SEED Preview – What If EVE Online Was The Sims?SEED is an ambitious MMO life simulation game that aims to blend the persistent online world of EVE Online with the indirect control of The Sims. Players create Seedlings with routines and commands, build towns from scratch, and manage complex supply chains. The game features player-driven economies and governance, with an emphasis on cooperation and specialization. SEED launches in early access on July 21 for PC via Klang Games' launcher, priced at $30, with a Steam Early Access release planned for later this year.
Why the $55bn acquisition of Electronic Arts isn't your usual leveraged buyoutA consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is acquiring Electronic Arts for $55 billion in a record-breaking leveraged buyout. The deal, financed with over $20 billion in debt, raises concerns about future investment in EA's games and its ability to service the debt. Experts suggest the acquisition is a strategic move by Saudi Arabia to gain soft power and bolster its esports initiatives, rather than a typical financial play.
Solarpunk MMO Loftia Is Heading into Early Access on Steam Soon!The solarpunk-themed MMO Loftia, inspired by games like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, is set to launch into Early Access in Fall 2026. Developed by Qloud Games, the game focuses on farming, crafting, decorating, and social interaction on floating islands, with an emphasis on sustainability and renewable energy. Loftia will be available on PC and Nintendo Switch.
There's one game Don't Nod narrative designer Nina Freeman won't ever uninstall from her PC, because it's banned on Steam: 'It's tragic, because everyone should play this game'Narrative designer Nina Freeman discusses her PC gaming habits, highlighting Devotion as a game she will never uninstall due to its quality and controversial Steam ban. She also shares her most played game, Dota 2, and her appreciation for complex branching narratives in titles like Scarlet Hollow.
In a sea of videogame movie adaptations, 28% of you are sick and tired of 'em and 24% of you are PC Gamer as hellA PC Gamer poll reveals that 28% of readers are tired of video game movie adaptations, with Deus Ex being the most requested game for a future film. Other popular choices included Diablo and Baldur's Gate 3, while some readers expressed a desire for entirely different game adaptations.
Unlike The Sims, early access hit Paralives will "never" have paid DLC and will stick to free updates, devs sayLife simulation game Paralives, currently in Early Access, will not feature paid downloadable content, with developers promising only free updates. Lead developer Alex Massé of Paralives Studio stated that the game's strong initial sales will sustain the team for years, allowing them to focus on free content additions. This approach contrasts with competitors like The Sims and has been well-received by players.
Paralives received 'over 100,000 big reports' in less than a week, as its creator reminds us that life sims…Paralives creator Alex Massé revealed that the life simulation game has received over 100,000 bug reports since its early access launch. Massé detailed the complex interactions involved in even simple actions like instructing a character to sleep, highlighting the challenges of developing life simulation games. Despite the large number of bugs, the small Paralives Studio team plans to continue improving the game.
Does Paralives Have the Potential To Be a Sims Killer?Paralives has launched into Early Access, offering a potential alternative to The Sims with its promise of free content updates and extensive customization options. The game features a robust character creator called the Paramaker, allowing for detailed adjustments like character height, and an intuitive building system that enhances the player's ability to create lived-in spaces. While the new 'Together Cards' social interaction system is a departure from The Sims and may require further refinement, Paralives shows significant promise as a competitor in the life simulation genre.
Paralives' build mode might mean I don't have to mod The Sims anymoreParalives' build mode offers extensive customization options, including curved walls and color wheels, potentially reducing the need for player mods that are common in The Sims. Despite being in Early Access and experiencing some bugs and quirky gameplay, the game's focus on player control and creative freedom has already hooked players.
After seven years of development, Paralives is out in early accessParalives, a life simulation game developed by Paralives Studio and founded by Alex Massé, has been released in early access on PC. The game features character and house customization, with plans to add weather, seasons, vehicles, and more over the next two years. The studio thanked its supporters and will be closing its Patreon subscriptions while making all past content freely available.