Sims Freeplay is a life simulation game series developed by Electronic Arts.

The Sims franchise has been around for around 20 years, and has grown with respect to new media technologies. For example, focus has gone from physical distributions of the product (CDs) to distribution via streaming and popular games sites such as Steam.

Sims Freeplay is a spinoff of the traditional sims series developed for mobile devices. It follows a “freemium” business model where the base game is free, but extra content can be purchasable via microtransactions. This could be seen as a successful idea due to the fact that a lot of mobile device users would not be as into games as, for example, people with consoles or computers. This means that a casual audience (which is being targeted by the nature of the life simulation genre anyway) is able to experience the game for free, and this lack of a monetary barrier will allow a large portion of extra customers to try the game and potentially purchase extra content. The video game was banned in China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt due to the possibility of establishing a homosexual relationship. This shows strict regulations of the game and goes against Livingstone and Lunt’s theory that powerful media companies (i.e EA) are commonly able to waive regulation policies.

Sims Freeplay, being a life simulation game, is a poignant transmission medium for incorporating viewpoints and ideologies. This means that the language in the game has the opportunity to present life in a light which is unrealistic – for example, houses and property in the game never get dirty. This may seem like a very unimportant shift from reality, however it shows us how the game is willing to present life as easier than it actually is. It has to do this to encourage further interaction with the game, as without money being spent after acquiring the game for free, minimal revenue will be earnt and the risks identified by Hesmondhalgh in the media industries will not be appropriately mitigated.

The game has a narrative which aligns with Tzetvan Todorov’s theory of a beginning, middle and end. This is because the in-game characters called “Sims” can grow up from a baby to a senior, and the game “ends” when this transition has concluded. This steady journey also encourages further interaction with the game to make money.

Sims Freeplay shows us many diverse representations of the world.  For instance, the choice of skin tones available at the start of the game is a recognition of the racial diversity of the audience. Although the gender options follow the simple binary of male and female, players can reject traditional gender roles when they explore the virtual world. This all goes with Gauntlett’s theories of fluidity of identity, as you can customise how your character looks and behaves at any stage of the game, making the identity ever changing.

Baudrillard’s theories around Postmodernism are very relevant when examining Sims Freeplay in that the game is a Hyperreality – it allows the player to pick their ideal life and reenact it in a virtual setting. I think that this could become a negative force for the world because of the fact that false connotations and misrepresentation of common ideological beliefs can be spread, especially hen considering the impact of new media on society in that communication is more efficient and prevalent than it has ever been.