By nature, humans are voyeuristic people who enjoy watching other people, perhaps more than themselves. Human beings are very interesting creatures, often driven by their own complex set of goals and aspirations, which is where The Sims thrives. You are the master and commander, and the little game inhabitants are all at your mercy, and you have control over the little people in your world, which speaks to a very primal part of the human brain. The Sims changed expectations for games, where there was no way to "win": it was just you, your Sims and the amount of time you had to spend with them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZNX-af6_Ng It created an entirely new breed of players, all of them fascinated by the life of their little Sim. Other games had blurred the line between simulation and game in the past, but The Sims was a whole different animal. There was real devotion, real feelings that players had for their avatars, as they often felt like an extension of yourself. You could get married, build an amazing bachelor pad or just live a quiet, secluded life without any hassles.
