Melbourne’s ACMI is set to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Sims from 21-23 February 2025, with a special weekend filled with panels and installations designed to reflect the legacy and importance of the games.
Those who attend will be able to wander a “Y2K” inspired bedroom setup designed by duo Josh & Matt Design, with “blow-up couches, CD towers, fuzzy rugs, and plenty of Sims-inspired details.” On 22 February, the pair will also join ACMI curator and games journalist Jini Maxwell, as well as some of the EA team, to discuss the legacy of The Sims, and its importance as a cultural artefact.
Beyond the panel and installation, there will be opportunities to re-experience The Sims and The Sims 2, with both games being playable on dedicated gaming stations. There will also be live-streamed broadcasts from ACMI, with a range of Sims creators popping in.
Per Maxwell, the event will focus on the formative nature of The Sims, and its legacy in the games and entertainment space.
“For 25 years, The Sims has provided a platform for so many kinds of social, creative, imaginative play – and this kind of play really is formative,” Maxwell told GamesHub. “For 25 years, The Sims has given its players a safe, consequence-free space to explore different social dynamics, challenge themselves, and express their creativity.”
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As Maxwell states, the series is not only a sandbox for play, it invites experimentation and personal expression in a safe, digital world. It gives players confidence and agency, and “broadens our understanding of what could be possible in our own lives.”
While the ACMI installation will be a chance to experience nostalgia, for those players who share a history with The Sims, it’s also designed to highlight the groundbreaking nature of the franchise, and why it’s so worth celebrating.
“Video games are the most popular entertainment medium on the planet – and the medium’s history doesn’t just tell the story of technology and design evolution, but also society and culture,” Maxwell said. “This is particularly true of a domestic simulator like The Sims.”
“From the groundbreaking inclusion of queer relationships in The Sims, to the inclusion of gender-inclusive character creators and polyamory in subsequent expansions, to the incredible array of player-made mod packs that facilitate even more complex and expansive kinds of play, the history of The Sims reflects how cultural and social norms have evolved two and a half decades, and what people want from their worlds, both imagined and real.”
Entry to ACMI’s Sims celebration is free, and you can now register to attend via the organisation’s website (RSVP essential). As noted, the event will be open to the public from 21-23 February 2025. ACMI opens daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
