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Dumb People , Smart Objects : The Sims and the Distributed Self
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Tirrell, Jeremy W. |
| Copyright Year | 2012 |
| Abstract | Electronic Arts’ Sims franchise, encompassing three main entries, numerous expansions and spin-offs, and two distinct online versions, has transcended its video game status and become a cultural icon. These games, largely devoid of explicit objectives or teleology, feature simulated humans, or Sims, partaking in such quotidian endeavors as housekeeping, paying bills, decorating, watching television, using the restroom, and entertaining guests. Despite their mundane subject matter (or perhaps because of it), Sims games are astonishingly popular. The franchise has collectively sold more than 100 million copies, making it the bestselling PC series ever (Ortutay 2008). Sims games are published in 60 countries and translated into 22 languages (Ortutay 2008). Additionally, since its launch in August of 2011, The Sims Social, an online version of the game accessible through Facebook, has attracted over 34 million players and displaced Zynga’s juggernaut FarmVille as the second most popular game on the ubiquitous social network (Pham 2011). Sims games have appeared on PCs, handheld devices, smartphones, and every major home console of the last decade. Additionally, references to Sims games have appeared in network television programs including The Drew Carey Show and Malcolm in the Middle, among others (“The SimsTM becomes” 2002). However, this information is perhaps unnecessary. The strongest evidence of the franchise’s salience is that I need say little about the games and their impact; their significance is understood. |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://gamephilosophy.org/wp-content/uploads/confmanuscripts/pcg2012/Tirrell%202012%20-Dumb-People-Smart-Objects-The-Sims-and-the-Distributed-Self.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |