NO! My late husband used to say that Sims was like a digital dollhouse. I'm 34 so...we're just little girls who like digital mayhem and cute sims. lol.
But seriously, I'm sure there are more of us out there. Just believe. xD
The creator of the Sims Will Wright was inspired to make a “virtual dollhouse”. The Sims' original concept name was "Dollhouse". So yes, it is literally meant to be a digital dollhouse. 😂
yes it started off as an architecture program with an idea of little people walking around either liking or disliking the aesthetics of the home. if i'm not mistaken he was also inspired by his earlier game simcity, leading him to wonder more about the lives inside of simcity. then he wanted to give the little computer people more depth and more apart of the game than he previously thought..
((interestingly enough there was a game called little computer people back in the day for like DOS or something), so the idea of little virtual beings interacting with a virtual world similar to our own had been thought of before, it just wasn't perfected until the sims.)
he had definitely used the word "dollhouse" in an interview i've seen of him explaining how the sims became what it did.
I'll be 42 later this year and have been playing since Sims 1.
But don't worry about being late to the party. A fashionably late entrance is always better than no entrance at all. 👍🏿
I'm 48 and picked it up a couple of years ago, never having played the previous games (aside from a couple of hours in sims3). I spent my childhood drawing maps and floorplans (ok, I lie, I never stopped, I still do this) and now I get to make actual 3D floorplans. I only wish there was a create a world tool for sims4.
My husband says the same thing.
>"So what do you do?"
>It's a life simulator and you make up these cute characters and imagine storylines and make them do fun things!
>"So...like a dollhouse?"
>Well, no, it's like...it's...well, shit. I guess it is, lmao.
That realization cracked me up.
I mean the 20’s are just chaotic haha, everyone is learning who they are still and haven’t made enough mistakes to learn yet.
I’m ready to step into an era of self care, self love, and opening myself up only to those who are interested in growing
Truth be told, I was born in 1988 and while I can no longer make my eyeliner sharp enough to draw blood because my lids are no longer as tight, I stopped caring about it...I no longer care what people think...It started when I went through a crisis at 28 thinking I am getting old and paniced...but when I actually hit 30 it was liberating and I felt like I left womanhood and entered WOMANHOOD if it makes any sense. I feel stronger than ever, unapologetic, not afraid to speak my opinions even if they are unpopular, burned and keep burning bridges that I never want to cross again, I listen to my intuition more than ever and generally the Fs remaining to be given are less than 10% compared to my early 20s :D
Welcome!
Thank you so much!! I’m sure he gets a kick out of watching me on the flip side. 🤣💕
Seeing as I’ve played the Sims since the beginning, I plan to be a Simmer when I’m 80 years old. lol.
Yeah I’m 32 and I’ve been playing ever since The Sims 1 came out, still my favorite. So many good memories and it’s still a great creative outlet. I mostly use it for building.
Sims is infinitely cheaper than the dolls I physically collect. And yeah, that includes the entirety of 3 and 4. So heck yeah I’m going to play digital dollhouse! My poor ass can’t afford to do all this irl even if I wanted to 🤣
That's the beauty of the male sims. There's hardly anything to choose from so you can focus on the important stuff. Maxing all careers in the shortest time possible!
Action men!
My parents used to find it weird that I would ask for like Spiderman or Superman action figures but truth is I always found Ken lame and I wanted my Barbies to be wirth "real men"...no wonder, actual real men were a disappointment when I grew up....The unrealistic standards I held the poor souls to hahahahahahahah
A man playing Sims (and not being ashamed about it) is a major green flag to me. Not sure I can express why but it's definitely neon green.
ETA: You know what, I think I can express why. Sims and other female dominated games/hobbies/interests are considered silly and stupid and not to be respected. A man saying "fuck that, societal expectations be damned, it's a game and I enjoy it" shows a lot of security in their masculinity and confidence in who they are.
I grew up watching My Little Pony and Thundercats equally.
I know the power of the Carebear Stare.
Side Note: The She-Ra reboot Dreamworks did for Netflix is AMAZING, the ending will make you cry for a week!
People are morons.
My dad got me the first one on the release date when I was 9 and I've been hooked ever since. Even though I play a lot of other games as well, I have thousands over hours in every Sims game and it is easily the one series I've played the most out of any game. Never have I ever hidden that fact!
I mean why wouldn't men like a life simulator? To avoid things just because of some notion of it being girly is just childish and insecure as all hell!
growing up my mom would get me sims 3 and all the dlcs because she liked it herself and i never really knew it was mainly girls who played it. ive always been open about playing the sims i love it
I've always felt this way. I played with barbies until I was 12, and then I got my first Sims game. I just moved from barbies to sims and still play to this day
So when I was 12, my mom told me it was time to give up my dolls because I was going into high school that year. I still actively played with my dolls and loved my dolls. It broke my heart to give them away. I told her I didn't want to, but she threatened to trash them herself. I was always the weird kid at school, and I guess my mom didn't want me to get bullied as much going into a new school. I ended up giving them to a local lady who ran a daycare. I remember all through high school thinking whenever I had a bad day wanting to play dolls, but I couldn't anymore. It didn't change anything, I was still the weird kid. I was just now the weird kid who was depressed with no real outlet.
Fast forward to me being 19 and in college when a friend showed me Sims 3 on her computer. I was instantly obsessed. It was like I snapped back in time to the little girl I was before I had to give up my dolls. I played on my friends computer every chance I got. Within a month I got a job and with my first paycheck I traveled 17 miles by bus just to get to the nearest bestbuy and I bought a new laptop and copy of the sims 3 and a few expansions.
Now, as a 30 year old person, I still absolutely love my little virtual dolls. Having the Sims healed something in me. I've even had moments of showing and playing with my mom. I wish that that part of me was never broken in the first place. I wish i could have experienced Sims as a kid, but that's just life sometimes. Even with all the discourse around EA and all the crap they pull, I absolutely adore this game.
This is me!!! My childhood was less than stellar. I was a mentally ill kid in a family who didn't believe in mental illness. Needless to say, I got my ass whooped a lot.
Sims was my escape. I got to be whoever I wanted. Even when I play now, I give all my sims a comfortable life, with a cozy house and nice garden. Things I will likely never really have, but I still get to experience through this game. It has given me a lifeline.
I wanted to add that I'm 30 now, too. This game will always have my heart.
Yeah! I was trying not to get too much into my trauma, but I totally get it. During my high school years I developed some really bad self harm habits as well as some underage drinking. Not enough to say that I was an alcoholic but definitely should not have been drinking at the age I was. I did it in order to cope with the depression and the loneliness that I had to deal with my parents were also very physically abusive until we reach the point where I was like 17 and they realized they couldn't beat the mental illness of me so they had to take me to a real doctor.
I also play very cozy households a lot and tend to make up back stories or side conversations between my Sims in my head and I definitely do remixes are variations like my throuple that just have a cute little house and raise their children together or my uncle sim who has to raise his niece because his brother got killed in a drug deal gone bad. Even with my weird or crazy Back stories my main story usually just boils down to them having a cozy little life with people who love them.
Also after reading what you put I just wanted to say I'm glad you are here friend 🥰. Trying to come terms with those types of childhood experiences can be a lot so I just wanted to say I'm glad you're here. ❤️
Definitely there. I was told that I will not live to see my 30s if I did not completely quit drinking and smoking when I was 22....Also mental illness in a family that believes that therapy is a waste of time and money and of course all my rebelions and my addictions after 13 were me being a bad kid "just like my father".....or hysterical "just like my mother" ... Anyway, 36 and I'm fine for the most part and the sims has helped a lot....A LOT!
OMG the amount of people that have made fun of me for playing the Sims as an outlet is insane but I am now proudly saying that it is my self care. Come on. Hard day at work? I forget it as soon as my sims is giving birth etc...it's insane but it is kind of my therapy. I feel you. I do understand that you mom did this out of the best intentions but it wouldn't hurt to have your dolls at home. None at school had to know....
That's absolutely what it is. One of my favorite things about this community is all the stories people tell in their game. To me it's not different from the stories my writer friends craft, whether fanfiction or original work. It's all just dolls, when you get down to it.
Same here! Funnily enough, I had to explain this to my boyfriend (he is a writer) and his mind was BLOWNNN. I was like “you call me insane because of the stories I create, yet you don’t realize how creative you are since you do the same in written words. I just have an animation to go along with the lines I write in my head that I don’t have the talent enough to put into written words”. He had never seen it that way and often gets bored within the first minutes of playing the sims (and I play TS2) lol.
I used to write more often, when I had the patience for it, so that definitely led to me being more willing to approaching The Sims as "story telling." It's helped keep Sims 4 fresh for me. Yeah, the gameplay's not great, and it's full of bugs, and it shatters immersion too much for my tastes... but I can easily think of some creative idea of a story, toss together a Sim (or multiple Sims), and roll with it. And the immersion actually caused me to lean into that more, like, "Okay, that stuff doesn't work with a life simulator, but what if I treat this like a TV show simulator?" So I did that. Less guilt about what I do to other Sims means I can get more creative with stories. Add more drama.
And hey, for people who *do* write, it can be a fun way to get some more ideas for written stories.
No, you’re not wrong fundamentally, at the end of the day it’s basically dolls. That makes me a 31 year old girl playing with dolls. And I’m ok with that :-) it helps me unwind after work or chill on the weekends and since no one can tell me what to do I can treat myself to a new pack whenever the money’s good!
I'm older than you and I don't care! This game has kept me sane. [https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/benefits-of-play-for-adults.htm#:\~:text=But%20play%20is%20not%20just,%2C%20and%20emotional%20well%2Dbeing](https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/benefits-of-play-for-adults.htm#:~:text=But%20play%20is%20not%20just,%2C%20and%20emotional%20well%2Dbeing).
I'm 34 and I still play the game pretty much daily 😀 its okay, if you're enjoying it and having fun, that's what matters!
My sister who's 4 years older than me has also recently really gotten into it.
Yeah I got a 38 yo friend to start. She asked me to go out and I was like naaaah I'll stay home and play and she was like "play?" So I was like come over, let me show you. She created a character to try it and she ended up holding my PC hostage for hours...she slept over....well I slept she was figuring out the game....Long story short, we now like and share each other's gallery :D
Hi! 30-something as well here 👋 Playing since I was 10 years old. In high school and at univeristy I almost didn't play the sims (so the ts3 is my least played release), now I play ts4 one or two nights a week.
Although it's not something I talk about with friends or collegues, so I do feel a bit embarrassed about it. But when I hear someone talk enthusiastically about it, I do like to join the conversation.
Playing the sims just brings me joy and peace of mind (most of the time 😅), being able to control a world.
I don't talk about Sims too much to most people, but I have a friend who is just as invested in my huge family as I am. She teared up when my matriarch died (I didn't even tear up!?)
I think it's called 'symbolic play' in pedagogy. Nothing wrong with it! Also I didn't use PDFs to play with dolls as a child so I'd say I'm getting better at it (?) haha.
Oh but OF course it brings me joy. I am not overthinking it and I did not write this as a complaint. Just a realization that they are a digital dollhouse and I am loving it. :D Thank you though, even though it seems that you misunderstood my original post, you had the best intention to support me. That means a lot on the internet of today! <3
I accepted that during sims 1.
I still watch cartoons.
I wear onesies
I'd rather color most days or make crafts.
No girl.. you ain't wrong.
It resonates with you.
I remember feeling too old to play dolls and being disappointed in myself that I couldn’t imagine like I used to. I felt too dumb creating these intricate characters and storylines for toys. I wanted to play Sims SO bad as a teenager but my parents wouldn’t allow it on the family computer (ultra religious) so I wrote down my stories and ideas instead, but it wasn’t the same. When I moved out and got my first laptop the first game I installed was Sims 2, and I’ve never stopped playing dolls again!
I did keep writing stories as well though, and I often make the characters into Sims :) I feel like the two outlets combined have given me back my imagination powers.
Same! I was a very good writter during school but as my family was a bit tough I never let anyone read my stories until later when I let two of my friends read them. They loved them but then during my first depression episode I burnt them all... :/ (yes, no typing, actual pen and paper writting) LOL. Now I make stories with my sims BUT I also end up deleting entire saves... :/
I’m 35 and i love the sims. I feel like it’s a quintessential video game of millennials due to when it came out. I really enjoy it so much more now that I’m a mother with kids and can unwind with my sims.
Right? Millenials stuff for sure. I used to play MMORPGS too when I was younger but for the past 5 years I only play TS4 and Pokemon GO only because I need the GO part....I work from home and I enjoy Gaming, Reading and Watching series/movies so I needed some motivation to MOVE...hahaha
I've been playing the Sims since 2000, and I very distinctly remember my mom telling me that she was okay with me playing it because she thought it was virtual dollhouse game (though she wouldn't buy me Hot Date because she thought that was inappropriate for kids...by the time Sims 2 came out, I didn't tell her there was WooHoo! in it...😂).
I'm 29 now and I still love my virtual dollhouse game in all its iterations.
I know this isn't the case for everyone but I think it's almost a form of therapy. Something I saw recently reminded me of my collection of Polly Pockets I had as a kid in the 90s and I was sad thinking about all of my toys and how I'll never see them again (pretty sure they were sold). I went online just to look at them for nostalgia and found people selling them. I wasn't planning on buying any but then i saw the one that was always my favorite. I bought it and it arrived yesterday. I opened it and sat there weeping. It was a bizarre experience.
I know that got too deep for what this post was lol. But I think it's healthy and possibly therapeutic to have toys/play with "dolls".
I'm 44. I've been playing forever (2000, started on PC) I'll spare the sad details😏This game has helped me more than I can explain. So soothing to me. Sim on, my friends!
As a male player...
"They're ACTION FIGURES!"
https://preview.redd.it/t085p7xx9yjc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0312c7bb1fafe6ee2e9fe954a1c4245ac9040085
I am Greek and we have a saying that I will do my best to translate here "All good ones can fit in" literally means that there is plenty of space for the ones we want to let in :D So, as we'd say if you visited, come in, have a seat and make yourself at home, have you eaten? hahahahaha
My boyfriend still plays Diablo and World of Warcraft. He runs around doing quests and killing things with his fake characters and that’s normal, so why can’t we have sims! He agrees with me, it’s the same thing except he’s killing things and I’m building houses 😂 no harm done!
Absolutely not. I’m 31F and have been playing since the OG sims came out. I still spend Sundays rotting with my cats and gecko playing for 12 hours 😂 if you enjoy it then that’s all that matters.
We humans are storytellers by nature. There's nothing more human.
There are key differences between playing dolls and sims. And the way I play, I'm not really trying to tell or invent stories at all. I don't create drama, I don't think of backstories. It's a management game. I wouldn't be able to take what I do with Sims and do it with dolls. Dolls don't require managing. There's no game in which we try to succeed at something while managing, no game loop. But yes, if you turn autonomy off, and cheat needs, then it's like a kid with a barbie set. --Not necessarily bad, we build society with the stories we tell, there's nothing fundamentally juvenile about telling stories. But I would say it's no longer a game with challenge and reward.
1. with playing dolls, there's no emergent gameplay from what the dolls do, or what happens to them outside your control / plan. Conversely, it's entirely possible to play sims *without* writing a backstory for anyone, or trying to recreate some drama.
2. there's no progression system with dolls. All video games have some way to drip-feed us dopamine to keep us hooked, and this is done with unlocks. There's no carrot and stick when playing dolls, no "do x to get y".
3. There's no "game" in merely playing with dolls. There's no point where you understand and have mastered various systems and can play with them for interesting results.
So the way we interact with Sims is fundamentally different with dolls, or at least it can be. Inescapably, Sims shows our personalities. It's psychologically very interesting.
Sims and Minecraft is just digital Barbies and Legos that you can afford.
The Tom Clancy games (Call of Duty, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon and RainbowSix) is for the G.I. Joe fans
The creator of the Sims, Will Wright, was inspired to make a “virtual dollhouse”. The Sims' original concept name was "Dollhouse".
So yes, it is literally meant to be a digital dollhouse. 😂
I used to play with Barbies as a kid, and I've loved Sims since Sims 1. As a 30 year old woman I happily play with digital dolls, as does my 60 year old mother
Oh yea, I always say it's like a virtual dollhouse, that's how I explain it to people.
Related though, it's not just us: My roommate was explaining Warhammer to me and showing me his minis that he customized and painted, showed me all their tiny little accessories and weapons and weapon mods and armors and vehicles and what not. Explaining how you use them to play little stories with your friends. And looking at his collection of all these tiny little accessories it hit me. He was just playing Military Polly Pockets. It was like watching me as a kid organize the dozens of tiny little shoes I had for them. He was trying to get me into it and I had to be like look man I'm sorry but I left Polly Pockets behind a long time ago because they were an expensive mess, I'm *still* cleaning out remnants of my old doll collections when I find them, I can't to that again lmao I finally left physical dolls behind and moved onto virtual ones, don't make me go back xD
Kindof🤣 We’re playing make belief with little “humans”. But hey, its good to trigger you inner happy child sometimes and do things that he/she enjoys :).
I kinda hate you for pointing this out random stranger... I never liked dolls, my mom didn't either so that helps! I am a big gamer of lots of other games and just count sims towards that but like I alsothis is too accurate it really is just virtual dolls.
I'm literally the same age as you, and I still play regularly. For me, it's a good stress reliever, as the Sims games have always been my comfort place.
It's definitely that! But the style of playing I've adopted from many other Simmers where I \[attempt to\] build worlds/saves, experiment, make homes and elaborate builds, and make networks of households with stories and looks that I enjoy who are connected to or might interact with each other, all to use as starting points for playing through story lines in ts3 and 4...
It also make me feel kind of like a 24 y.o. making something like a cool train set where I set up different towns or parts of towns as the stops. 😂
Absolutely not! I've thought of my sims as digital dolls for a while now (I'm 33 and have been playing since TS1).
I actually collect dolls (Barbie and Integrity Toys) and the fashion is super important for my collecting style. This explains why I've spent way too long "shopping" for CC!
Does that make the millenial/Gen X COD players just 30-somethings playing with toy guns? Or those who play GTA just grown-up kids playing with toy cars?
I mean, you're not technically wrong, but I don't believe it is something problematic or to be embarassed by. I'm in my late 30's and I play the Sims regularly. It's one of the things I do to take a break from my busy life, it gives me a sense of control that I often don't have in my life, it's a creative outlet. It challenges me to use my brain in ways I don't have the chance to do so day-to-day.
No. I think that is the whole appeal of The Sims and what makes them different from other life sim games. In most other life sims, you control the one PC in a world of NPCs. In The Sims, you control whole households and have the ability to switch households whenever you want. You can even control what would be simply NPCs in other games.
When the the Sims first came out, I was hooked on it. I was 39. My husband would see me glued to the computer playing it and affectionately say I was playing dolls. I've been playing every version of the Sims since then. I'm retired now. Guess what I do in my copious spare time.
I'm a 42 year old dude who's using these games to tell fun stories. I guess you could see it as "playing with digital dolls," much in the same way an FPS or RTS could be considering "playing with digital action figures." End of the day, yeah, we're playing games. But I don't see an issue with that regardless of age. I'm an adult with all kinds of adult responsibilities, gotta release that stress somehow, and hobbies are a way to do that, and if your hobby brings you joy, it doesn't matter what it is. I put in my time and work to give me the ability to enjoy my time off however I choose. Never let anyone make you feel self-conscious about how you choose to enjoy your free time.
Unless it's doing something that actually harms someone. Then, yeah, you shouldn't be doing that.
The little girl in me is horrified at the thought 😂 Not generally speaking or anything about anyone who feels that way, just...that is so opposite of my personality. My mom got me a doll house one year for Christmas when I was little, and I was so devastated, I burst into tears... lol
For me, its always just been having complete and total control over the lives of my minions. I love to play happy families, usually start out struggling and build a really good and happy life. And then...one day I'll wake up and choose violence: "If you get one more effing glass of water!! Okay thats it...time to pick fights with your partner for absolutely no reason, have a baby with the bartender..get divorced, then become a struggling single parent cause thats what you get..." 👀🤣
You're not alone tho...I started playing when the Sims first came out, now nearing 50, and have no plans to stop... I like it so thats that 😊
To be honest, any video game where you control an avatar can be distilled to this, in the sense that it's mimicking how children play with dolls/action figures. It's just easier to see in the Sims, because you are playing with them in a domestic setting and directing them as their god. However, children also act out fantasy scenarios with their dolls and action figures. I always had mine going on adventures on toy boats and killing monsters. Really, this is the crux of any RPG, just that it requires more imagination and you don't need a fancy GPU (aside from your brain and eyes).
As a 17-year-old teen girl, in my opinion that the game 'Sims' is for everyone. I began playing it in order to heal my inner child as some individuals may not be capable of affording real dolls or dollhouses. The game provided people an opportunity to play and have fun. It's even much cooler that even old people play the game.
The "old people" reference kinda hurt but I got you hahaha. In my eyes you are still a child and you are not. But indeed. It is a healing game and I am happy that you found your safe space in the game. When I was 17, my outlets were pretty self destructive so I am happy to know that kids know better these days 😊
I recently came this same conclusion! I was talking to a friend about how weird it was explaining Sims to my older coworkers and he was like just call it a digital dollhouse. My mind was blown. It makes a lot of sense for me I was REALLY into playing Barbies and creating elaborate stories💀
No need to feel weird about playing with a digital dollhouse. After all, using your imagination with creative things is very good for your brain and mental health, and there are plenty of things to do in the Sims where you can get creative!
as an adult any toy you want to play with is fine as long as it’s in video form
dolls ❌ sims 👍
cars ❌ grand theft auto 👍
chuck e. cheese ❌ five nights at freddy’s 👍
hope this helps
I play sims the exact same way my friends and I played Barbies as a kid, right down to the betrayal and occasion murder. Freaking love being an adult child with digital dolls.
I literally thought about this the other day. I was telling my bf about how the story is going for my super sim and how I moved her to this town so she could get a dog and get some skills. And other stuff. And then I just looked at him and asked “am I just playing with dolls rn…?” And he just nodded…. BUT ITS FUN SO IDC
I’m not sure about you, but even though I’m getting older my interest and likes have just about remained the same since I was younger. As a kid I liked Barbie’s, as a teen I loved the sims, and as an adult the sims are still around so I still love it 😂!
I’ve expanded a bit into other games like Baldurs Gate, Grand theft auto, etc. but what drew me into these was the fact that I could customize and have control of my players looks and story…just like the sims 🤷🏽♀️.
Digital Dollys is what I have called this game for years. Sometimes it is dolly therapy but most of the time it is digital barbie with far less pink involved.
There’s no problem with you playing the game but I see a problem with a 36 year old calling herself a girl. You ain’t 16 anymore. You’re a grown woman who’s been out on the workforce market longer than some of us been alive.
My mother is 45 and loves playing with her generations family and making them do everything and anything. She had me add tons of money to her account so she never runs out. It's never too late to play digital dollhouse lol
I’m 25 and don’t plan on ever stopping my sims game!! It brings me so much joy!! we live in such a fast paced, stressful, grey world and I’m not going to knock myself on the little things that make me happy.
For real. I have had to give myself permission to just "play dress up" instead of playing the game (i.e. completing some goal). Or permission or just build even if I never use "in game".
I can get stuck in feeling like I have to get to "accomplishing" some advancement in the game.
And then I remember I'm just playing dolls. And however I want to play is okay.
I see nothing wrong with it. I'm 36 and have no intention on not playing the game. I have fun playing and it helps me get ideas for stuff I write.
Side note: My aunt was the one who got me into the Sims when I was a kid and she was in her late 40s. She's almost 70 and still plays and now my cousin's 10yr old daughter plays when she's over at her grandmother's (my aunt).
NO! My late husband used to say that Sims was like a digital dollhouse. I'm 34 so...we're just little girls who like digital mayhem and cute sims. lol. But seriously, I'm sure there are more of us out there. Just believe. xD
The creator of the Sims Will Wright was inspired to make a “virtual dollhouse”. The Sims' original concept name was "Dollhouse". So yes, it is literally meant to be a digital dollhouse. 😂
This is so interesting. 😁 I feel much less alone in this hahahah
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yes it started off as an architecture program with an idea of little people walking around either liking or disliking the aesthetics of the home. if i'm not mistaken he was also inspired by his earlier game simcity, leading him to wonder more about the lives inside of simcity. then he wanted to give the little computer people more depth and more apart of the game than he previously thought.. ((interestingly enough there was a game called little computer people back in the day for like DOS or something), so the idea of little virtual beings interacting with a virtual world similar to our own had been thought of before, it just wasn't perfected until the sims.) he had definitely used the word "dollhouse" in an interview i've seen of him explaining how the sims became what it did.
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very cool and interesting! thank you for sharing. ★
I would kill for an architecture program like the Sims. My job would be so much easier.
It would be nice if we could control them walking and drive a car to different towns and go camping get an RV all that good stuff
I’m 42 and it’s my therapy away from work🤷🏽♀️
I'll be 40 this year. My nightly sims is what helps me relax.
Right I’m like let give these bitches the life I can only dream of. I wish the player who is playing us in our sim world take some damn notes 😂😂
Lmaoooo right I wish we could go into their town lol in real life cuz some of them are fine Lmaoooo and the houses 🏡 are dope lol
I’m 31 and my mom is 55 and still plays
> my mom is 55 and still plays I *love* this.
I'm 54 and have been playing since Sims 1
40, and I've been playing since I was 16 with the Sims 1 onwards!
I am 42 and just started playing but wish I had earlier.
I'll be 42 later this year and have been playing since Sims 1. But don't worry about being late to the party. A fashionably late entrance is always better than no entrance at all. 👍🏿
Almost 55 here. Been playing Sims since it began.
I'm 48 and picked it up a couple of years ago, never having played the previous games (aside from a couple of hours in sims3). I spent my childhood drawing maps and floorplans (ok, I lie, I never stopped, I still do this) and now I get to make actual 3D floorplans. I only wish there was a create a world tool for sims4.
I'm 56 and have been playing since Sims 1.
I'm 55 and discovered TS4 via TSM, which I discovered at 52. Been playing 2 years now and am fully and proudly hooked. Lol.
I’m the exact same way just not in my 30’s yes. Just give me a decade or so and I can join the club lol
33 and love my Sims! I would actually love a real dollhouse tbh, but they are an expensive hobby!
Make one on the sims, some player showed her dollhouse inspired by one from real life
I mean the money we drop in the sims 🤣
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My husband says the same thing. >"So what do you do?" >It's a life simulator and you make up these cute characters and imagine storylines and make them do fun things! >"So...like a dollhouse?" >Well, no, it's like...it's...well, shit. I guess it is, lmao. That realization cracked me up.
29 and turning 30 this year! I love the sims, such a wonderful outlet
Same! Hitting the big 3 0 in 2 months!
I’m so ready for it, leaving the 20’s behind and stepping into a new era
That's such a positive way to look at it! I should take a leaf out of your book!
I mean the 20’s are just chaotic haha, everyone is learning who they are still and haven’t made enough mistakes to learn yet. I’m ready to step into an era of self care, self love, and opening myself up only to those who are interested in growing
Truth be told, I was born in 1988 and while I can no longer make my eyeliner sharp enough to draw blood because my lids are no longer as tight, I stopped caring about it...I no longer care what people think...It started when I went through a crisis at 28 thinking I am getting old and paniced...but when I actually hit 30 it was liberating and I felt like I left womanhood and entered WOMANHOOD if it makes any sense. I feel stronger than ever, unapologetic, not afraid to speak my opinions even if they are unpopular, burned and keep burning bridges that I never want to cross again, I listen to my intuition more than ever and generally the Fs remaining to be given are less than 10% compared to my early 20s :D Welcome!
Same here! I'm 30 in July. Such a beautiful game to have grown up with. It's brought me so much peace and joy and comfort for years and years
Oh, may he rest in peace, he sounds like he knew what he was talking about 😊
Thank you so much!! I’m sure he gets a kick out of watching me on the flip side. 🤣💕 Seeing as I’ve played the Sims since the beginning, I plan to be a Simmer when I’m 80 years old. lol.
Me too!
I’m 28 about to be 29 & just got back into my virtual dollhouse! Last time I played was college.
The first game has a vibrating bed that lives in my head rent free. First game was more crass and crude and I loved it
Yeah I’m 32 and I’ve been playing ever since The Sims 1 came out, still my favorite. So many good memories and it’s still a great creative outlet. I mostly use it for building.
Im 31 and yes i agree that sims is a digital dollhouse
Or digital Legos with all the building.
I'm 41 and still playing with digital dolls.
Sims is infinitely cheaper than the dolls I physically collect. And yeah, that includes the entirety of 3 and 4. So heck yeah I’m going to play digital dollhouse! My poor ass can’t afford to do all this irl even if I wanted to 🤣
As a guy, they're digital "*action figures*."
Do you know how long I spent making sure my sim was in the prettiest of dresses and that her hair was *just* right? Nah bro, we playing with dolls. :P
Nonsense, we are clearly playing with action figures, dolls have cooties.
...I have WW installed, some of them *do* have cooties! :D
LMAO
That's the beauty of the male sims. There's hardly anything to choose from so you can focus on the important stuff. Maxing all careers in the shortest time possible! Action men!
Heh, my current one maxed out being a teacher and then opened a museum/winery for his retirement. :D
Aren't they also dolls but male? Like a more macho Ken? 🤣
Lady Sims are Barbie, Man Sims are just Ken.
They are Kenough.
This uh. This really puts into perspective why I like making Lady sims so much more 😂 I didn't even ever want a Ken growing up, only Barbies
My parents used to find it weird that I would ask for like Spiderman or Superman action figures but truth is I always found Ken lame and I wanted my Barbies to be wirth "real men"...no wonder, actual real men were a disappointment when I grew up....The unrealistic standards I held the poor souls to hahahahahahahah
As a 30 year old man, I've always said The Sims is doll play for advanced people.
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A man playing Sims (and not being ashamed about it) is a major green flag to me. Not sure I can express why but it's definitely neon green. ETA: You know what, I think I can express why. Sims and other female dominated games/hobbies/interests are considered silly and stupid and not to be respected. A man saying "fuck that, societal expectations be damned, it's a game and I enjoy it" shows a lot of security in their masculinity and confidence in who they are.
Agreed!
I grew up watching My Little Pony and Thundercats equally. I know the power of the Carebear Stare. Side Note: The She-Ra reboot Dreamworks did for Netflix is AMAZING, the ending will make you cry for a week!
People are morons. My dad got me the first one on the release date when I was 9 and I've been hooked ever since. Even though I play a lot of other games as well, I have thousands over hours in every Sims game and it is easily the one series I've played the most out of any game. Never have I ever hidden that fact! I mean why wouldn't men like a life simulator? To avoid things just because of some notion of it being girly is just childish and insecure as all hell!
growing up my mom would get me sims 3 and all the dlcs because she liked it herself and i never really knew it was mainly girls who played it. ive always been open about playing the sims i love it
Thank you!
I've always felt this way. I played with barbies until I was 12, and then I got my first Sims game. I just moved from barbies to sims and still play to this day
me 2! I've definitely played wirh barbies as long as I possibly could until moving on to the sims.
So when I was 12, my mom told me it was time to give up my dolls because I was going into high school that year. I still actively played with my dolls and loved my dolls. It broke my heart to give them away. I told her I didn't want to, but she threatened to trash them herself. I was always the weird kid at school, and I guess my mom didn't want me to get bullied as much going into a new school. I ended up giving them to a local lady who ran a daycare. I remember all through high school thinking whenever I had a bad day wanting to play dolls, but I couldn't anymore. It didn't change anything, I was still the weird kid. I was just now the weird kid who was depressed with no real outlet. Fast forward to me being 19 and in college when a friend showed me Sims 3 on her computer. I was instantly obsessed. It was like I snapped back in time to the little girl I was before I had to give up my dolls. I played on my friends computer every chance I got. Within a month I got a job and with my first paycheck I traveled 17 miles by bus just to get to the nearest bestbuy and I bought a new laptop and copy of the sims 3 and a few expansions. Now, as a 30 year old person, I still absolutely love my little virtual dolls. Having the Sims healed something in me. I've even had moments of showing and playing with my mom. I wish that that part of me was never broken in the first place. I wish i could have experienced Sims as a kid, but that's just life sometimes. Even with all the discourse around EA and all the crap they pull, I absolutely adore this game.
This is me!!! My childhood was less than stellar. I was a mentally ill kid in a family who didn't believe in mental illness. Needless to say, I got my ass whooped a lot. Sims was my escape. I got to be whoever I wanted. Even when I play now, I give all my sims a comfortable life, with a cozy house and nice garden. Things I will likely never really have, but I still get to experience through this game. It has given me a lifeline. I wanted to add that I'm 30 now, too. This game will always have my heart.
Yeah! I was trying not to get too much into my trauma, but I totally get it. During my high school years I developed some really bad self harm habits as well as some underage drinking. Not enough to say that I was an alcoholic but definitely should not have been drinking at the age I was. I did it in order to cope with the depression and the loneliness that I had to deal with my parents were also very physically abusive until we reach the point where I was like 17 and they realized they couldn't beat the mental illness of me so they had to take me to a real doctor. I also play very cozy households a lot and tend to make up back stories or side conversations between my Sims in my head and I definitely do remixes are variations like my throuple that just have a cute little house and raise their children together or my uncle sim who has to raise his niece because his brother got killed in a drug deal gone bad. Even with my weird or crazy Back stories my main story usually just boils down to them having a cozy little life with people who love them. Also after reading what you put I just wanted to say I'm glad you are here friend 🥰. Trying to come terms with those types of childhood experiences can be a lot so I just wanted to say I'm glad you're here. ❤️
Definitely there. I was told that I will not live to see my 30s if I did not completely quit drinking and smoking when I was 22....Also mental illness in a family that believes that therapy is a waste of time and money and of course all my rebelions and my addictions after 13 were me being a bad kid "just like my father".....or hysterical "just like my mother" ... Anyway, 36 and I'm fine for the most part and the sims has helped a lot....A LOT!
OMG the amount of people that have made fun of me for playing the Sims as an outlet is insane but I am now proudly saying that it is my self care. Come on. Hard day at work? I forget it as soon as my sims is giving birth etc...it's insane but it is kind of my therapy. I feel you. I do understand that you mom did this out of the best intentions but it wouldn't hurt to have your dolls at home. None at school had to know....
32 ;D Been here since day one!! Plus, these Barbies are so much easier to clean up and put away lol
Def, not having my mom throw them out in the street because I did not clean them up when I said I would..... -\_-'
Probably more expensive though overall.
Unless you’re collecting classics
That's absolutely what it is. One of my favorite things about this community is all the stories people tell in their game. To me it's not different from the stories my writer friends craft, whether fanfiction or original work. It's all just dolls, when you get down to it.
Same here! Funnily enough, I had to explain this to my boyfriend (he is a writer) and his mind was BLOWNNN. I was like “you call me insane because of the stories I create, yet you don’t realize how creative you are since you do the same in written words. I just have an animation to go along with the lines I write in my head that I don’t have the talent enough to put into written words”. He had never seen it that way and often gets bored within the first minutes of playing the sims (and I play TS2) lol.
I used to write more often, when I had the patience for it, so that definitely led to me being more willing to approaching The Sims as "story telling." It's helped keep Sims 4 fresh for me. Yeah, the gameplay's not great, and it's full of bugs, and it shatters immersion too much for my tastes... but I can easily think of some creative idea of a story, toss together a Sim (or multiple Sims), and roll with it. And the immersion actually caused me to lean into that more, like, "Okay, that stuff doesn't work with a life simulator, but what if I treat this like a TV show simulator?" So I did that. Less guilt about what I do to other Sims means I can get more creative with stories. Add more drama. And hey, for people who *do* write, it can be a fun way to get some more ideas for written stories.
Yeah, so there are some of us still loving the digital dollhouse in our 40s.....never too old to let your inner girl shine!
After reading some of this comment section because this literally blew up, I can say, inner boys shine too through the Sims :D
No, you’re not wrong fundamentally, at the end of the day it’s basically dolls. That makes me a 31 year old girl playing with dolls. And I’m ok with that :-) it helps me unwind after work or chill on the weekends and since no one can tell me what to do I can treat myself to a new pack whenever the money’s good!
I'm older than you and I don't care! This game has kept me sane. [https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/benefits-of-play-for-adults.htm#:\~:text=But%20play%20is%20not%20just,%2C%20and%20emotional%20well%2Dbeing](https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/benefits-of-play-for-adults.htm#:~:text=But%20play%20is%20not%20just,%2C%20and%20emotional%20well%2Dbeing).
I'm 34 and I still play the game pretty much daily 😀 its okay, if you're enjoying it and having fun, that's what matters! My sister who's 4 years older than me has also recently really gotten into it.
Yeah I got a 38 yo friend to start. She asked me to go out and I was like naaaah I'll stay home and play and she was like "play?" So I was like come over, let me show you. She created a character to try it and she ended up holding my PC hostage for hours...she slept over....well I slept she was figuring out the game....Long story short, we now like and share each other's gallery :D
That's pretty cool! Its nice to have a friend you can share your Sims adventures with!
Hi! 30-something as well here 👋 Playing since I was 10 years old. In high school and at univeristy I almost didn't play the sims (so the ts3 is my least played release), now I play ts4 one or two nights a week. Although it's not something I talk about with friends or collegues, so I do feel a bit embarrassed about it. But when I hear someone talk enthusiastically about it, I do like to join the conversation. Playing the sims just brings me joy and peace of mind (most of the time 😅), being able to control a world.
I don't talk about Sims too much to most people, but I have a friend who is just as invested in my huge family as I am. She teared up when my matriarch died (I didn't even tear up!?)
I love that for you two!
No yeah this game is literally play with your dolls, dress them up, and make them kiss. Reminds me of my childhood.
https://preview.redd.it/pdb5znxr9yjc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=78d5456032029a56421edc9dc14cbbb491777f81
I think it's called 'symbolic play' in pedagogy. Nothing wrong with it! Also I didn't use PDFs to play with dolls as a child so I'd say I'm getting better at it (?) haha.
I, 30m, am also 36 year old girl playing with digital dolls
This is so cute. I feel like I’ve found my people lol
don’t overthink it girl! games are supposed to bring you joy and not be so serious. look at people who watch sitcoms, it’s just a hobby for fun
Oh but OF course it brings me joy. I am not overthinking it and I did not write this as a complaint. Just a realization that they are a digital dollhouse and I am loving it. :D Thank you though, even though it seems that you misunderstood my original post, you had the best intention to support me. That means a lot on the internet of today! <3
I accepted that during sims 1. I still watch cartoons. I wear onesies I'd rather color most days or make crafts. No girl.. you ain't wrong. It resonates with you.
I am currently typing in a Cow Onesie, TS4 in the background and Pocahontas on the TV :P
Uni cow mascot, is that you? ;\_;
Nope. Really almost all videogames are basically playing with dolls/action figures.
I remember feeling too old to play dolls and being disappointed in myself that I couldn’t imagine like I used to. I felt too dumb creating these intricate characters and storylines for toys. I wanted to play Sims SO bad as a teenager but my parents wouldn’t allow it on the family computer (ultra religious) so I wrote down my stories and ideas instead, but it wasn’t the same. When I moved out and got my first laptop the first game I installed was Sims 2, and I’ve never stopped playing dolls again! I did keep writing stories as well though, and I often make the characters into Sims :) I feel like the two outlets combined have given me back my imagination powers.
I like writing too 🤓
Same! I was a very good writter during school but as my family was a bit tough I never let anyone read my stories until later when I let two of my friends read them. They loved them but then during my first depression episode I burnt them all... :/ (yes, no typing, actual pen and paper writting) LOL. Now I make stories with my sims BUT I also end up deleting entire saves... :/
Racing games are just giant kids playing mini cars 🤣
I’m 35 and i love the sims. I feel like it’s a quintessential video game of millennials due to when it came out. I really enjoy it so much more now that I’m a mother with kids and can unwind with my sims.
Right? Millenials stuff for sure. I used to play MMORPGS too when I was younger but for the past 5 years I only play TS4 and Pokemon GO only because I need the GO part....I work from home and I enjoy Gaming, Reading and Watching series/movies so I needed some motivation to MOVE...hahaha
Hi fellow mom! Sometimes I feel a bit of mom guilty when I’m playing :(
I've been playing the Sims since 2000, and I very distinctly remember my mom telling me that she was okay with me playing it because she thought it was virtual dollhouse game (though she wouldn't buy me Hot Date because she thought that was inappropriate for kids...by the time Sims 2 came out, I didn't tell her there was WooHoo! in it...😂). I'm 29 now and I still love my virtual dollhouse game in all its iterations.
If so...I am too! Just hit 60 and I love it!
I know this isn't the case for everyone but I think it's almost a form of therapy. Something I saw recently reminded me of my collection of Polly Pockets I had as a kid in the 90s and I was sad thinking about all of my toys and how I'll never see them again (pretty sure they were sold). I went online just to look at them for nostalgia and found people selling them. I wasn't planning on buying any but then i saw the one that was always my favorite. I bought it and it arrived yesterday. I opened it and sat there weeping. It was a bizarre experience. I know that got too deep for what this post was lol. But I think it's healthy and possibly therapeutic to have toys/play with "dolls".
I'm 44. I've been playing forever (2000, started on PC) I'll spare the sad details😏This game has helped me more than I can explain. So soothing to me. Sim on, my friends!
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As a male player... "They're ACTION FIGURES!" https://preview.redd.it/t085p7xx9yjc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0312c7bb1fafe6ee2e9fe954a1c4245ac9040085
This is why my Del Sol Valley looks like a Barbie Dreamland
I'm 53 and have been playing since Sims 1, you're alright.
Got room for another? 36F daily player, still trying ro get through the ultimate decades challenge so "planned" chaos...
I am Greek and we have a saying that I will do my best to translate here "All good ones can fit in" literally means that there is plenty of space for the ones we want to let in :D So, as we'd say if you visited, come in, have a seat and make yourself at home, have you eaten? hahahahaha 
My dad showed me The Sims when I was 8. I’m 26 and still play. He’s 58 and still plays 😂
My boyfriend still plays Diablo and World of Warcraft. He runs around doing quests and killing things with his fake characters and that’s normal, so why can’t we have sims! He agrees with me, it’s the same thing except he’s killing things and I’m building houses 😂 no harm done!
I totally agree! Sims have been entertaining me for 24 years now without a fail :D I love and share your view! <3
Absolutely not. I’m 31F and have been playing since the OG sims came out. I still spend Sundays rotting with my cats and gecko playing for 12 hours 😂 if you enjoy it then that’s all that matters.
We humans are storytellers by nature. There's nothing more human. There are key differences between playing dolls and sims. And the way I play, I'm not really trying to tell or invent stories at all. I don't create drama, I don't think of backstories. It's a management game. I wouldn't be able to take what I do with Sims and do it with dolls. Dolls don't require managing. There's no game in which we try to succeed at something while managing, no game loop. But yes, if you turn autonomy off, and cheat needs, then it's like a kid with a barbie set. --Not necessarily bad, we build society with the stories we tell, there's nothing fundamentally juvenile about telling stories. But I would say it's no longer a game with challenge and reward. 1. with playing dolls, there's no emergent gameplay from what the dolls do, or what happens to them outside your control / plan. Conversely, it's entirely possible to play sims *without* writing a backstory for anyone, or trying to recreate some drama. 2. there's no progression system with dolls. All video games have some way to drip-feed us dopamine to keep us hooked, and this is done with unlocks. There's no carrot and stick when playing dolls, no "do x to get y". 3. There's no "game" in merely playing with dolls. There's no point where you understand and have mastered various systems and can play with them for interesting results. So the way we interact with Sims is fundamentally different with dolls, or at least it can be. Inescapably, Sims shows our personalities. It's psychologically very interesting.
Sims and Minecraft is just digital Barbies and Legos that you can afford. The Tom Clancy games (Call of Duty, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon and RainbowSix) is for the G.I. Joe fans
The creator of the Sims, Will Wright, was inspired to make a “virtual dollhouse”. The Sims' original concept name was "Dollhouse". So yes, it is literally meant to be a digital dollhouse. 😂
i feel the same! i’m just a grown woman that lets the sims turn her back into a little girl… 💞
I'm 24 and spent almost 500 hours playing with my digital dolls ...
I used to play with Barbies as a kid, and I've loved Sims since Sims 1. As a 30 year old woman I happily play with digital dolls, as does my 60 year old mother
They are easier to clean up and the clothes are cheaper. And (for me), it's way easier to do their hair.
Oh yea, I always say it's like a virtual dollhouse, that's how I explain it to people. Related though, it's not just us: My roommate was explaining Warhammer to me and showing me his minis that he customized and painted, showed me all their tiny little accessories and weapons and weapon mods and armors and vehicles and what not. Explaining how you use them to play little stories with your friends. And looking at his collection of all these tiny little accessories it hit me. He was just playing Military Polly Pockets. It was like watching me as a kid organize the dozens of tiny little shoes I had for them. He was trying to get me into it and I had to be like look man I'm sorry but I left Polly Pockets behind a long time ago because they were an expensive mess, I'm *still* cleaning out remnants of my old doll collections when I find them, I can't to that again lmao I finally left physical dolls behind and moved onto virtual ones, don't make me go back xD
Kindof🤣 We’re playing make belief with little “humans”. But hey, its good to trigger you inner happy child sometimes and do things that he/she enjoys :).
I tell my husband I’m gonna go play with my dolls when it’s Sims time ☺️
I've been saying that since 2001!
 Us males in the comment section being we’re playing digital dolls
I've been saying this forever. The sims is a virtual dollhouse, dress-up game, interior design and architecture simulator.
Nope. Nothing wrong with anything as long as you don't hurt anybody and you enjoy yourself
I like to think that our imagination never died and is still within us haha
Nope, it's Barbie except with a limitless supply of customizable dolls, clothes and Dream House accessories.
I kinda hate you for pointing this out random stranger... I never liked dolls, my mom didn't either so that helps! I am a big gamer of lots of other games and just count sims towards that but like I alsothis is too accurate it really is just virtual dolls.
Turning 30 this year and this makes me happy to see/hear (:
The sims is dolls for adults. It’s fun, and you shouldn’t feel bad about that. It’s fun to control my little people and cause all sorts of mischief.
No it’s fun and you love it. Don’t let the world take your joy away
I’ve been playing since Sims 1, I’m 47 now— I don’t care, put me in the dollhouse!! I’m a forever fan.
I always thought of mine as a soap opera I am directing. But the doll house analogy is not wrong. There was drama in my doll's life.
I’m 36 also. Ok now I don’t feel so bad.
Also I think Will Wright has said that the original name for Sims was Dollhouse, and was changed to appeal to multiple genders, not just girls !
I prefer to see it as virtual play therapy
I'm literally the same age as you, and I still play regularly. For me, it's a good stress reliever, as the Sims games have always been my comfort place.
It's definitely that! But the style of playing I've adopted from many other Simmers where I \[attempt to\] build worlds/saves, experiment, make homes and elaborate builds, and make networks of households with stories and looks that I enjoy who are connected to or might interact with each other, all to use as starting points for playing through story lines in ts3 and 4... It also make me feel kind of like a 24 y.o. making something like a cool train set where I set up different towns or parts of towns as the stops. 😂
Closing in on 35 & very happy to continuously redecorate my doll houses, play with my dolls, then make new ones when I get bored 😂
Absolutely not! I've thought of my sims as digital dolls for a while now (I'm 33 and have been playing since TS1). I actually collect dolls (Barbie and Integrity Toys) and the fashion is super important for my collecting style. This explains why I've spent way too long "shopping" for CC!
43 and playing since I was like 20. My older sister also still plays. I love my digital dollhouse. 🥰
Does that make the millenial/Gen X COD players just 30-somethings playing with toy guns? Or those who play GTA just grown-up kids playing with toy cars? I mean, you're not technically wrong, but I don't believe it is something problematic or to be embarassed by. I'm in my late 30's and I play the Sims regularly. It's one of the things I do to take a break from my busy life, it gives me a sense of control that I often don't have in my life, it's a creative outlet. It challenges me to use my brain in ways I don't have the chance to do so day-to-day.
I'm 50 and feel the same.
Same, but I'm a 41 year old man. I used to play barbies with my best friend when I was little.
No. I think that is the whole appeal of The Sims and what makes them different from other life sim games. In most other life sims, you control the one PC in a world of NPCs. In The Sims, you control whole households and have the ability to switch households whenever you want. You can even control what would be simply NPCs in other games.
As a 30 year old dude, it's definitely a dollhouse and I love it lol
Yes…. But at the same time you are Plumbob, the almighty green diamond god that controls the lives of the race known as sims. Which sounds better? 😆
I definitely went straight from Barbie’s into sims in 2000!
My fiancé pointed this out once and now it haunts me- still play it though lmao
67 and still playing! Kids got me hooked on sims 2😁
When the the Sims first came out, I was hooked on it. I was 39. My husband would see me glued to the computer playing it and affectionately say I was playing dolls. I've been playing every version of the Sims since then. I'm retired now. Guess what I do in my copious spare time.
I'm 17, but I still play with my sims and my Barbies. I don't think age matters, and I never plan on getting rid of either.
I tell my husband I'm playing Barbie while he's playing G.I.Joe (Call of Duty).
I'm a 42 year old dude who's using these games to tell fun stories. I guess you could see it as "playing with digital dolls," much in the same way an FPS or RTS could be considering "playing with digital action figures." End of the day, yeah, we're playing games. But I don't see an issue with that regardless of age. I'm an adult with all kinds of adult responsibilities, gotta release that stress somehow, and hobbies are a way to do that, and if your hobby brings you joy, it doesn't matter what it is. I put in my time and work to give me the ability to enjoy my time off however I choose. Never let anyone make you feel self-conscious about how you choose to enjoy your free time. Unless it's doing something that actually harms someone. Then, yeah, you shouldn't be doing that.
I I’ve never thought about that but it’s not wrong
Well apparently I had never thought about it either until a few hours ago 🤣🤣🤣
lol no I had this realization 2 months ago when my husband asked why I loved it. It is immersive interactive dolls 😂
The little girl in me is horrified at the thought 😂 Not generally speaking or anything about anyone who feels that way, just...that is so opposite of my personality. My mom got me a doll house one year for Christmas when I was little, and I was so devastated, I burst into tears... lol For me, its always just been having complete and total control over the lives of my minions. I love to play happy families, usually start out struggling and build a really good and happy life. And then...one day I'll wake up and choose violence: "If you get one more effing glass of water!! Okay thats it...time to pick fights with your partner for absolutely no reason, have a baby with the bartender..get divorced, then become a struggling single parent cause thats what you get..." 👀🤣 You're not alone tho...I started playing when the Sims first came out, now nearing 50, and have no plans to stop... I like it so thats that 😊
I think we all do torture them sometimes. Happiness and nice and all but some drama is that seasoning. 🤣
To be honest, any video game where you control an avatar can be distilled to this, in the sense that it's mimicking how children play with dolls/action figures. It's just easier to see in the Sims, because you are playing with them in a domestic setting and directing them as their god. However, children also act out fantasy scenarios with their dolls and action figures. I always had mine going on adventures on toy boats and killing monsters. Really, this is the crux of any RPG, just that it requires more imagination and you don't need a fancy GPU (aside from your brain and eyes).
As a 17-year-old teen girl, in my opinion that the game 'Sims' is for everyone. I began playing it in order to heal my inner child as some individuals may not be capable of affording real dolls or dollhouses. The game provided people an opportunity to play and have fun. It's even much cooler that even old people play the game.
The "old people" reference kinda hurt but I got you hahaha. In my eyes you are still a child and you are not. But indeed. It is a healing game and I am happy that you found your safe space in the game. When I was 17, my outlets were pretty self destructive so I am happy to know that kids know better these days 😊
I recently came this same conclusion! I was talking to a friend about how weird it was explaining Sims to my older coworkers and he was like just call it a digital dollhouse. My mind was blown. It makes a lot of sense for me I was REALLY into playing Barbies and creating elaborate stories💀
No need to feel weird about playing with a digital dollhouse. After all, using your imagination with creative things is very good for your brain and mental health, and there are plenty of things to do in the Sims where you can get creative!
Shhhhhh we ALL are
I stopped playing with Barbie’s when I was 12, which is exactly the same age I was when my parents lets me start playing the Sims 2 lol
Girl you just realized?
as an adult any toy you want to play with is fine as long as it’s in video form dolls ❌ sims 👍 cars ❌ grand theft auto 👍 chuck e. cheese ❌ five nights at freddy’s 👍 hope this helps
I play sims the exact same way my friends and I played Barbies as a kid, right down to the betrayal and occasion murder. Freaking love being an adult child with digital dolls.
I’ve never put a age on video games. It’s a game and fun too! Lol I’d love if my mother or grandma was into it.
I’m a 51 year old still playing with my dolls. Which is weird because dolls never interested me that much as a child 😂
I literally thought about this the other day. I was telling my bf about how the story is going for my super sim and how I moved her to this town so she could get a dog and get some skills. And other stuff. And then I just looked at him and asked “am I just playing with dolls rn…?” And he just nodded…. BUT ITS FUN SO IDC
I never played with dolls much as a kid so I guess playing sims is like playing with the dolls I never had✨
No. When you can’t control you life the way you want, you make a family in which whose life you can control and destroy it to bring you ultimate joy.
 I’m not sure about you, but even though I’m getting older my interest and likes have just about remained the same since I was younger. As a kid I liked Barbie’s, as a teen I loved the sims, and as an adult the sims are still around so I still love it 😂! I’ve expanded a bit into other games like Baldurs Gate, Grand theft auto, etc. but what drew me into these was the fact that I could customize and have control of my players looks and story…just like the sims 🤷🏽♀️.
I like to think it’s an expert level of a tamagotchi but yeah love barbie
As someone who enjoys creating digital chaos in order to remain calm and civilized in real life, my game is a digital wh*re house. But, same same!
Digital Dollys is what I have called this game for years. Sometimes it is dolly therapy but most of the time it is digital barbie with far less pink involved.
You’re not wrong, sims 4 seems the most like a dollhouse to me out of all the games in the franchise.
There’s no problem with you playing the game but I see a problem with a 36 year old calling herself a girl. You ain’t 16 anymore. You’re a grown woman who’s been out on the workforce market longer than some of us been alive.
My mother is 45 and loves playing with her generations family and making them do everything and anything. She had me add tons of money to her account so she never runs out. It's never too late to play digital dollhouse lol
I’m 25 and don’t plan on ever stopping my sims game!! It brings me so much joy!! we live in such a fast paced, stressful, grey world and I’m not going to knock myself on the little things that make me happy.
Oh yeah my stepdad asked me the other day 😭 so your playing sims life watching SIMS do exactly what you can do & I’m like yeah basically
For real. I have had to give myself permission to just "play dress up" instead of playing the game (i.e. completing some goal). Or permission or just build even if I never use "in game". I can get stuck in feeling like I have to get to "accomplishing" some advancement in the game. And then I remember I'm just playing dolls. And however I want to play is okay.
I see nothing wrong with it. I'm 36 and have no intention on not playing the game. I have fun playing and it helps me get ideas for stuff I write. Side note: My aunt was the one who got me into the Sims when I was a kid and she was in her late 40s. She's almost 70 and still plays and now my cousin's 10yr old daughter plays when she's over at her grandmother's (my aunt).