Sims fiends, rejoice! To mark 25 years of The Sims, EA and ACMI are hosting a weekend-long celebration of the series later this month. Woohoo! No, not that WooHoo. Eager fans will be able to bask in the glory of The Sims by returning to where it all began. From the Goth Family, the Grim Reaper, to removing ladders from pools – many will remember attempting to balance their sim’s needs as chaos bubbles in their idyllic little lives.
The celebrations will include a specialist panel paying tribute to The Sims legacy along with a space designed by Australian social media icons, Josh & Matt. The pair have styled a Y2K-era bedroom for the event allowing fans to step back through time to where it all began. The installation will be packed with Sims easter eggs, along with bookable game stations to really get dosed with nostalgia. Luckily, the computer fans shouldn’t have it as hard this time around!
The weekend-long celebration at ACMI begins Friday, February 21, running till Sunday, February 23. The special panel on Saturday, February 24, will explore the cultural legacy of The Sims. Panelists include Mavis Chan, General Manager of the Simulation Division at EA Firemonkeys, Jini Maxwell, Curator at ACMI, and Tiktok stars Josh & Matt Design. From game influences to how its fandom has grown, it’s sure to be a fascinating exploration of The Sims series.
“For 25 years, The Sims has provided a platform for so many kinds of imaginative play for multiple generations, allowing them to achieve great feats of digital architecture, guide their Sims to dizzying success – or cruelly remove their pool ladders. With each new expansion and sequel, The Sims has expanded its complex social world, reflecting changes to real-life society, and facilitating even more forms of self-expression in its passionate player base. As a long-term Sims player myself, I’m so thrilled to celebrate the game’s cultural legacy and personal significance in this event and free talk hosted by ACMI” said Jini Maxwell, ACMI Curator.
The Sims series will always be a cornerstone for many in the simulation genre, and for good reason. That blend of escapism mixed with organised chaos keeps players creating their own stories. The games have come a long way, too – now in its fourth iteration with a stack of expansions and no signs of slowing down; every system has been upgraded since that very first game. Game expansions have allowed the developers to continue adding to The Sims 4, which has increased players’ investment in the series as they upgrade their play experience with new content.
For players unable to make it to the event, The Sims Legacy Edition is out now alongside The Sims 2 Legacy Edition, allowing players to jump back into the original games with all the expansions. It’s a dream for fans of the series itching to return to where it all began. It’s awesome seeing a huge series such as The Sims returning to its roots and celebrating that nostalgia with the community.
EA presents The Sims 25 is open to the public from Friday 21 – Sunday 23 February at ACMI. Free tickets are available now on the ACMI website.
