

The Sims has long helped people realize their innermost desires. Not only could I be pretty and cool and successful and independent, I could also be, for a then-unknown reason, constantly queer.

The ability to craft a dream – or nightmare– world, one as beautiful and mundane or absurd and magical as I wanted, was a dream to me as a socially awkward ugly duckling with more bullies than friends. I still remember my first time playing The Sims, and the way my life was forever changed. There is currently no other single player life simulation game that can compete with The Sims, though there is at least one game in development trying to. Now old enough to legally drink pretty much anywhere in the world, the franchise now has two generations of dedicated players who grew up playing. The Sims is one of the greatest video game franchises of all time.
