What makes this game so addicting?

Fairy_Happy

That's the question. Why is this game so addicting where people are willing to shell out hundreds of dollars for every pack?

I ask myself this every time I buy more stuff for this game. I actually just bought the last two expansion packs that I didn't have because there is a sale happening right now.

I know we aren't buying the games because we like EA.

VeeDub

I can't answer for anyone else, but I have no problem buying only the packs that I really, really want. So maybe I'm not actually addicted. Except that doesn't explain why it seems like I might be? Seriously, though, it's not about packs or money for me (though what I said before is still true). I make up stories, and I don't always know how they'll go. So I have to keep playing to find out.

Babykittyjade

I love EA sorry. Or more so the amazing devs that make it.💛
And I'm willingly buying every pack out of love and excitement for the game. I'm only speaking for myself. But I think it's addicting because not only is there no other game like it in the world, but I always wanted a game that let's you free to do whatever you please. I hated being constrained by the rules and goals of games ever since I was a child. On top of that I love writing, story telling and dollhouses and fashion with a deep passion. I renovate dollhouses and make asylums and stuff out of them for fun and collect figma. My novel is up to 1000 pages now.
This is all of that combined! Everything I ever wanted packed into one.
The endless stories to create, the endless customizations like a dress up barbie, (gosh I love dressing up dolls 🥰)he fun interactions, the cc and mods that open up worlds more of customization.

I've even made my novel characters into sims and it's so much fun to play out stories with them because it feels like I actually know them personally lol. Hard to explain but my fellow writers would understand 😅😅

But it's the only game I know you can play for literally ever over and over and over and over and over and over and over. The sims is truly special 💖

CamarieSims

Probably because when you buy a Sims game you become part of a community that has existed for 20+ years, a community that truly cares about one another...despite all of the squabbles. It's one of the few games where you can play how you wish - want to have a completely vanilla game, you can do that. Want to add all sorts of drama - that can be done as well. It also evolves throughout the years - look at the graphics from The Sims compared to now, but if the graphics aren't enough - consider the fact that there are several games in development that do the same thing that the Sims has been doing all this time.

Simmingal

to me its creating stories without actually having to write a story or having to stay in very particular plot

and at the same time watching it all unfold like tv show without having to be stuck watching tv show or heck film one

and also at same time being able to create your worlds your characters your houses...

and torch the whole dang thing if ur not vibing with it...or just want to relieve some stress on poor pixels

basically it very much hits that sweet spot of " you can do whatever you want" for me

which is why I actually can't get into any other video games besides sims

because its just too much forced hero roles
forced villain roles forced questing and character relations

forced everything

in short i guess its just the freedom
If i want to have story of a person who is ancient vampire but also runs a yoga club and has 100 children and is married to mermaid? i can have that. and thats nice.

as for packs its just more content to play with and more stories to make so obviously if it interests me i would rather get that than get say, 2 hours long movie about something that i might not even like and watch only once

Fairy_Happy

Some good points! Yeah, the game is never ending and that's one of the charms.

And I apologize, I shouldn't have said 'we don't like EA since I can't speak for anyone except myself.' I apologize for that.

NightwalkerArkanis

It gives me a chance to live out the many stories I wrote when younger. Most of them, anyway.

I can create almost any character I want, and make them live life as I see fit. How many other games gives me that option? It's my own personal storytelling, in-game. Thus, need more occults.

SweetieWright_84

I honestly don't think I could have said it any better than all the posts above mine have said.

I'll just add the sims themselves sometimes throw you a curveball. You never really know what you're going to get when you start the game. You may have a goal in mind when you start a play session but then your sim starts a fire in the kitchen, they die, and Grim shows up.

The addiction is to the randomness or even the boring and mundane. I think the sims is like reality TV, in that we know it's fake but still so intriguing. We can't help to come back for more.

Mstybl95

It's a neverending game. I got addicted to TS2. I mean like true addiction. I forgot to eat, sleep, and even at school and work, I'd bring my computer and sneak in as much time as possible. I loved TS2 because you could play out so many different scenarios and sometimes the same one and each outcome would be different. No two families felt the same and there was so much to do and explore.

I got over that eventually, but it took a while. I'm not as addicted to TS3 and TS4, though I do play very often. I'll admit that through the pandemic I didn't have much to do so I was able to get back into it. Now I'm staying with it. But for me, it's definitely that the game doesn't have an end and as long as I create or my sims procreate, then my world never dies...eh-hem...unless maxis breaks my save...cough cough!

RySBI

I think it’s because it’s a creative outlet. The Sims games allow you to run wild with your imagination and express yourself with a massive choice of tools and options to help move them along.

Because the Sims you play have a level of autonomy, and the world you play has an degree of random chance, this helps to move your creativity along and helps create new ideas as you go.

I don’t buy all the packs (but to be honest I’ve bought more of them than I ever intended), but with every additional content you gain, you’re prompted with new options and ideas.

Sheepiling

Every game has their whales. It's not exclusive to Sims. To be honest, the people that buy every pack, full price, on release day for Sims still have much healthier spending habbits than some players of games with lootboxes/gachapons.

I personally plan to eventually own all the DLC packs (except for kits) on Sims 4, and have already done so for Sims 3, but I always wait for sales. Over time I've spent stupid amounts of money on this franchise, but these are games I always come back to and they've continued to entertain me over these past 13 years. I'd much rather cut back on eating at restaurants and buy some discounted Sims packs when managing my money set aside for fun stuff.

Kironide

For me its a way to live a thousand different lives, to experience the world through someone else's eyes and to learn from those other people's perspectives. By exploring the many aspects of their day to day living I can experience the things that might shape their attitudes. Generally I want to to break out of the box and explore everything possible beyond that which I know. It's why I also like supernatural play. Creating my Sim proxies is also a challenging and rewarding experience. It is a somewhat unique form of artistry, I find.

Yautjagirl

I agree with the majority here that its creative outlet is what appeals to me the most. My other hobbies include painting and writing and playing Sims lets me explore some new story possibilities or just relax in a very mundane, yet a bit magical environment. I have been playing sims since Sims 1 and no other game has become such a comfort place for me to relax and unwind.

SERVERFRA

I so enjoy my Prehistorical, Historical, 20th Century & Futuristic Game Saves.
I love my GTW/Strangerville/JTB for my SiFi Futuristic play.
Also I love my GT/IL/JA/Vampire/ROM for my Prehistorical & Historical play.
Furthermore, I love my CL/C&D/GF/EL/VG/Paranormal for my 20th Century play.

I never ever use mods or MOOs in my Sims 4, just alot of cheat modes.

Kimmer

I don't have any other expensive hobbies and I'm already over 50, I've had time to save money for something that I enjoy. I don't use cc or mods, so I want all the packs to add new things on the game and I don't think of it as spending too much money for something that I enjoy. Some people use their money on cigarettes and some buy new computers or cars all the time. I don't judge them, they can do whatever they want with their own money. I wish people would stop worrying about how other people use their money. I'm okay, I still have money left.

In my case this game is so addicting because it makes me forget all my worries and I can do what I want on it. I make the big decisions myself but I love the autonomy and I let my Sims choose their spouses quite often themselves. I could not play without the autonomy, because it would feel like playing with dolls.
For me the autonomy is the most important thing why I'm so addicted to this game, I'd be bored without it.

Nate_Whiplash1

For about a year, I was addicted. Then I realized that Sim's behavior was all pretty much the same, and the addiction went away

ChampandGirlie

I don't really think it is addicting but as with all things, we must manage our own time and money.

There are a lot of games and hobbies out there, everyone typically has some that they play or do. I agree that it's a creative outlet and can be a stress reliever when dealing with complicated things in life.

As adults at least in most societies now, we don't have a lot of outlets for creativity as others mentioned. I guess I like being able to do what I want and being able to come up with stories regardless of whether they actually entertain anyone else. I've occasionally talked on here about a few but I get to experiment without being edited by anyone else. You can also spend time on little "boring" details that wouldn't exist in a book or show if you want to. Want to spend hours just editing the likes and dislikes of 300 characters? Ok. Want to just build an island resort or new house all day? Ok. Make a random townie playable and come up with a whole life for them? Fine.

Anyway, I think it is fine. I guess I've played multiple versions (I'm not that old, I was playing some games when I was a kid & I like history). It's really up to a player what they want to spend. I enjoy it but take breaks and sometimes I've disappeared from the game even for years. I had a break for some months earlier this year and I actually disappeared for over a year not that long ago for other commitments. It's nice that it's still around and I can come back. When I pick back up, I have a good time.

So far, I have not thought that it is too much like games that are heavily micro-transaction-based because anything is optional and there are sales. Watching a film isn't replayable and I don't tend to reread books but I can play a game as much as I want. I still watch films and read books but I consider gaming to be in that category. I'm not fixated on the total cost since 2014 since some packs were gifted to me and I've done some sales. I don't think about how much I spent on books or films since 2014.

When I came back recently, my first thought was that it's time for an update but as I got back into it, I had fun. It's true that if the series completely starts all over, it'll be a jump though that has happened before. I took several years off between TS3 and TS4.

Do what you want, gaming is fine, just make sure that you are actually living your own life as well. Sometimes real life can be overrated like last year for a lot of people. I have other hobbies like hiking, socializing (when we actually can), travel (when we actually can), reading which I should do more, learning skills in various classes, and "real lifing". I could pick up a few more hobbies and sometimes I concentrate a lot more on real life than games but when I do, I have fun. I think it is good to not completely lose our imaginations. I've been on here because it's nice to know that other people are like that as well.

musteni

I like my sims and the storylines I have going on. New packs always add something I can use and it's fun to get new options for my sims. I try to use pretty much everything that comes on a pack, so for me it's generally a good value. There are a couple of pack I don't own.

ChampandGirlie

I just want to add that some years ago, I was in a relationship with someone who was very critical of The Sims series. That person would say things like, "Those are just ones and zeros, that's not real." Meanwhile, that person would spend hours on some video pool/billiards site. "This is a real game and it's with real people." I'm really glad to not be with that person anymore. Now I'm with someone who lets me be me, this person mainly likes to watch other people play video games on livestreams which I didn't realize is a popular thing. The attitude is "you do you" and that's the attitude that I mainly have for other people, just make sure that you are enjoying your life as much as you can.

I'm just adding that the first relationship did not last long. Lol.

MVWdeZT

I think it's addictive for me because I can make Sims happy and successful. This was more of a challenge in TS1 and 2, but it's still satisfying to have a Sim get a promotion even though it's easier. And I'd rather marry off my Sims than read romance novels. The reason I buy new packs is because they're new. I can't afford to change my own living room furniture or buy a new wardrobe every 6 months, but a whole set of new clothes, furniture, and experiences for my Sims costs much less than a new outfit for me.

beville

Oh! how I love my virtual little people.Yes, they are one of my guilty pleasure for sure. I guess I really like the idea of adding new stuff and game play to my game. You know I have to be addicted because I been playing the sims since 2002.☺

taydev

The creative aspect for me. I get to make characters, their stories, and explore their settings. It’s all about imagination for me since gameplay is a dud.

Hermitgirl

For me it's addicting because I can make so many different characters and play them out. I'm the creator in a god-like sense. I always want more packs to give me more optional ways to play out the many lives I can think up ... some pack themes grab me more than others but absolutely all have some things I use and go back too using, so basically I am always excited about a new pack. When a new pack is coming out and I find out what it's going to be about .. it sparks something creative in me.... like... oh I can do this now!.... or one of my sim can finally have this career or hobby that makes sense to them. Every one of the packs expands what I can do with my little simmy lives, their surroundings and how I can play out their lives. So I always want more. Yeah it's addicting.
It's not like other games that often have a beginning and end... or some main quest. It's not even a game so much as a hobby.
I can also related to it because it semi-realistic... which opens up another reason it's not like other simulator type of games.

Sharonia

The attachment I have to my Sims and mods are what make it addicting for me. I don't think I would play the Sims 4 is it wasn't for mods.