EA have announced that The Sims has sold 100 million units worldwide, making it the biggest selling PC game series ever. And who, honestly, would have predicted that when the original game launched in 2000. Back then the PC gaming scene was a masculine mix of first-person shooters, real-time strategy and role playing games. Not, you'd think, the ideal place to launch a game about relationships, decorating and emotional management. 100 million copies of The Sims sold and 8 years on and, er, the PC gaming scene remains a masculine mix of first person shooters, realtime strategy and role playing games. Except this time the role playing is done online. But the point remains - the Sims has been an incredible success in a PC gaming market that has failed to really innovate.
You'd have expected a rush of PC games aimed at the mainstream, more feminised audience attracted in by The Sims. But they never came. And the few that did never got close to challenging The Sims dominance. Perhaps the huge growth in casual gaming - think online Bejewelled etc - has filled this gap? But in a declining PC game market the success of The Sims is a notable achievement.
