The Sims FreePlay | Media Language Media Representations Media Industries Media Audiences | Social Cultural | Paper 2 |
The Sims FreePlay is a strategic life simulation game developed by EA Mobile and later with Firemonkey Studios. It is a free version of The Sims for mobile devices and was released for iOS on December 15, 2011, Android on February 15, 2012, BlackBerry 10 on July 31, 2013, and Windows Phone 8 on September 12, 2013.
In the game, players build and design houses and customize and create virtual people called Sims. Players are able to control the Sims to satisfy their wishes and complete actions to earn in-game currency, which can also be obtainable by spending real money. There are 55 levels that the player must progress through to unlock content, such as furniture, which can be purchased with the virtual currency. The Sims are able to procreate, yet there is a limit of 34 Sims a player can have in their town. This restriction can be removed if the player becomes a VIP.
Media Language
Jean Baudrillard
Media Representations
Liesbet van Zoonen
Paul Gilroy
Stuart Hall
David Gauntlett argues that the media and technology play a significant role in shaping our identities and provide us with new ways to express ourselves and connect with others. For example, the variety of skin tones available at the customization stage of The Sims FreePlay is a recognition of the racial diversity of the audience. Whilst the gender options follow the binary of male and female, the players themselves are able to reject traditional gender roles when exploring the virtual world. This allows the town to become a place that reflects the player’s identities and values.
Media Industries
Sonia Livingstone
Peter Lunt
Media Audiences
Albert Bandura
George Gerbner
Stuart Hall
Henry Jenkins suggested that fandoms are social entities with distinct dimensions. The Sims FreePlay has a dedicated group of players known as ‘Simmers‘ who exchange tips and ideas on online forums where they develop a social community around the game to both praise and protest against aspects of the gameplay.
In a 2020 survey from The Entertainment Software Association found