The idea of a reality show based on The Sims may be debatable, but I can assure you that now that the first season is fully available for streaming - possibly the same - Spark'd Pc You keep playing The Sims.
Season 1 recently completed on the new Reality TV game show centered around life simulation game. In just four episodes, the show highlighted the breathtaking creativity that can be achieved in this ongoing game. More importantly, Spark had countered the unfortunate notion that video games are a waste of time, unproductive hobbies, or worst of all, they rot your brain.
I've played and written about video games, and the more I've learned, the more I see them as a true art form. When I pull the curtain back on a video game, I've mostly found deeper topics and the developer's personal story. Spark'd boldly shows how video games are often a form of self-expression, much like writing a song or painting a picture.
When I heard the Sims were getting a TV show, I admitted I raised my eyebrows. What would it look like? I loved watching Sims fans on YouTube post short film style videos, try challenges, review expansion packs, and create incredible builds, but did we really need a whole show based on that concept?
But after watching the first season, my doubts are gone. Spark had quickly proven to be just as comforting to me as the game itself, especially amid the turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic. The Sims is a game I've come back to over the years, and it always hit me where I was. It's an escape from a world that often feels out of control. In these uncertain times, it is more important than ever for people to have that.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Spark'd Season 1.
EA / Screenshot by Shelby Brown / CNET
A groundbreaking show
For a short time, 10 YouTubers competed in teams to master time-controlled elimination problems. One candidate would be responsible for writing a story, another would design characters, and another would build the setting. At the end of each challenge, the participants presented creative characters in an original Sims story to a jury of three prominent judges, all Sims fans of course.
The jury consisted of Dave Miotke, a game developer for Maxis. This is the division of EA Games that develops The Sims.
Creativity level 10
Challenge after challenge, participants brought out incredible creations and stories - from candidate Doctor Ashley's Doctor of Time Machine to Team Gnome, who used the game to recreate the story of candidate Plumbella's father and the plight of miners in northern England in the 1970s and 11th 70s to tell. 80s.
"Hearing the participants' personal stories through The Sims was really powerful," told me YouTuber Kelsey Impicciche, one of the judges and the BuzzFeed multiplayer YouTuber known for creating the Sims 100 Baby Challenge. "Adding a personal element to the competition made the presentations more impactful and made the show much more intimate and warm.
It wasn't just about a video game, it was about the players themselves, Impicciche added.
"The Sims mean creativity to me," said candidate Xmiramira. YouTuber Xmiramira talked about the appearance of black in The Sims 4: On her website, she has downloadable melanin packs that offer more skin tone variety.
In the season finale, Xmiramira and her team shared their story of the challenges girls face in the world of gaming.
The Sims / Screenshot by Shelby Brown / CNET
Claim: friend of the world
Although $ 100,000 was at stake, instead of leaning into the cut-throat style of most reality shows, participants supported each other. The judges weren't surprised that the show's set remained friendly, according to host Rayvon Owens. The Sims are about bringing people together, he said.
"The Sims are usually something you would play alone, but The Sims Spark'd allows the best of the best to come together, learn from each other and hopefully incorporate those new skills into their gameplay," said Judge Tayla Parx, a voice actor at the Game. "I know that every candidate has left feeling like they have made a new friend."
And yes, contestants and judges sang Sim's songs on set - in Simlish.
Aspiration achieved
In the end, the Llama team - DrGluon, Simlicy and Xmiramira - won.
"It feels great," said Xmiramira. "It's been a long way and somehow we were able to bring our strengths together and make it. It's a great feeling."
After a bumpy start, the team turned out various and crazy creations that wowed the judges. These included Xmiramira's setting up body-positive, gender-specific models; DrGluon's Improvised Haunted House Passage; and Simlice's effortless but meticulous builds that set the stage for the stories.
You can still enjoy the trio's work (but individually) as all three plan to return to the YouTube channels where they tell stories, create traits, and creatively push the Sims' boundaries.
The Sims screenshot by Shelby Brown / CNET
Changing the perception of games
I grew up believing that video games are not a productive use of time, whether my parents told you it or not. When they finally gave my sister a PS2 for her birthday, I have to admit that we stayed up until 4am playing Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Recently, I've been spending a few nights playing a Nancy Drew PC mystery game. So even a good thing in excess can become bad.
While I knew other people were playing video games for hours, I didn't want to demonstrate, at some level, the fact that one of my favorite ways to spend time was (and still is) playing the Sims. Shows like Spark would help showcase sides of gaming that might otherwise not be seen. I can't think of any other game that could have made that statement better than The Sims.
"Growing up I didn't talk to too many people outside of my friends about my love for the Sims," said Impicchice, expressing a feeling I'd never put into words. "I wish I had a TV show like The Sims Spark'd when I was young, so I felt more secure in my love of gaming."
While there isn't a sudden cultural shift in the perception of non-gamers that games are a waste of time or a hobby to be less than proud of, it is still an important show for gamers.
"As with anything, the more you know, the more you understand," said Parx.
Ultimately, The Sims made the jump to television because players can be endlessly creative. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, it is welcome to everyone - no matter how they got into the game. Although the world has come a long way in terms of adoption in the last 20 years, the Sims have always been a few steps ahead.
"Throughout the Sims' existence, it has been really amazing to see them continually improve the diversity player experience," said Parx. "From the clothes to the skin colors to the wraps themselves. All the tools they give you are the version of you that you want to create that day."
You can follow all of Spark'd's episodes on the Buzzfeed Multiplayer YouTube channel.
