The Sims Turns 25 Years Old (LinkedIn Backlog | February 2025)

The Sims franchise turns 25 today, and while we could talk all day about chaotic Sim antics (toilet fires, pool ladder "accidents," and the Grim Reaper chilling in the living room after Grandma got eaten by a Cowplant), let’s focus on what really makes The Sims so successful and long-lasting in the video game space: its ability to create community and open consumers up to a world of possibilities.

So, what can marketers learn from The Sims?

🎥 Let Your Audience Tell the Story – From the Sims 2 Exchange to today’s YouTube "Let's Play" chaos, Electronic Arts (EA) has been creating a sense of community and belonging for Simmers since the early days. The Sims 2 Exchange allowed players to upload Sims, lots, and stories, and while the tools have evolved, the philosophy hasn’t: let your audience drive the narrative. The best marketing doesn’t dictate the story—it empowers your audience to tell it.

🔥 Leaning Into Niche Communities – The Sims team excels at tapping into passionate, niche communities, whether it’s builders, storytellers, modders, or Create-A-Sim fanatics. But they didn’t stop there. The game's DLC options allow players to elevate their experiences, incorporating some of the most niche hobbies—jam making, woodworking, robotics, painting, cross-stitch, the list goes on and on—allowing players to tell nearly any story they can dream of. 

By supporting these subcultures, EA creates long-term engagement.

Case in point: for the 25th anniversary, they re-released the original The Sims (2000) and The Sims 2 (2004), tapping into nostalgia while widening their audience to anyone who ever played and still enjoys the game. Marketers, take note—cultivate and engage your niche audiences to grow brand loyalty.

💡 Viral & Relatable Content – From the Bella Goth mystery to Nyon Spector, The Sims has built a world rich with lore and inside jokes that fans adore. Great brand storytelling does the same—it creates content that’s shareable, relatable, and generates conversations. (P.S. The Caliente sisters are looking real good for me RE: the disappearance of Bella Goth, js.)

In 25 years, The Sims hasn’t just been a game—it’s been a comfort and companion to many while maintaining its relevance in the gaming world. Both marketing and content successes, if you ask me. 

While there’s room for a conversation about content quality and costs (looking at you, The Sims 4), we’ll save that for another day. It is their anniversary, after all. 😉 

Cheers to 25 years of Simlish and to the Simmers who never stop inspiring me in my game play!