Social simulation game

Social simulation games are a subgenre of life simulation game that explore social interactions between multiple artificial lives. The most famous example from this genre is The Sims series of games.

Influences and origins
When The Sims was released in 2000, it had been called "almost the only game of its kind". But there are several important precursors to The Sims and the social simulation genre. Firstly, the game's creator Will Wright acknowledges the influence of Little Computer People, a Commodore 64 game from 1985. The games are similar, although The Sims is described as a richer gameplay experience. Secondly, Will Wright acknowledged the influence of dollhouses on The Sims, a comparison that has since been repeated. This has informed the gameplay of this emerging genre.

Animal Crossing was released in 2001 for the Nintendo 64 in Japan. While released towards the end of the life cycle of the Nintendo 64, it developed a following that led to it being ported to the Nintendo Gamecube and released throughout the world. As the game's popularity has surged, this series has also been described as a social simulation game.

Since the success of these games in the early 2000s, game reviewers have begun to refer to similar games as belonging to a social simulation game genre.

Recent history
Several other social simulation games have emerged to capitalize on the success of The Sims. This includes several sequels and expansion packs, as well as games like Singles: Flirt Up Your Life with heavy similarities.

Examples

 * Little Computer People
 * Jones in the Fast Lane
 * Alter Ego
 * Miami Nights: Singles in the City
 * The Sims series
 * Animal Crossing (series)
 * Singles: Flirt Up Your Life