Is The Sims A Virtual Dollhouse?

Gender role stereotypes aside, (I don't believe dollhouses are just for girls) I think in a very real way, a life sim and a dollhouse are pretty much the same thing. Children playing with dollhouses mimic the world they see around them when playing. Isn't that wat the Sims does? Either way I agree its fascinating, but then, I've always found human interaction fascinating.

That's pretty much what it is. We can bounce away from calling it a "Virtual Dollhouse" to make it sound less emasculating for male players, but the fact that people (like the author of the article) feel a need to do that in the first place points to a bigger societal issue in my opinion.

On a side note the grammar in this article is horrendous. Journalism seems to be a dying art :D

Yes, it is. I loved playing Barbies as a child. I never got the Dream House, or the Town House. I had 1 pink couch. That's it. Now with the Sims, I got my dolls and the houses!
It's not just for girls. GI Joe was a man "Barbie". He could go out and do his military thing, then come home to Barbie and their one pink couch. With Sims he can really be a soldier and come home to their dream house.
Barbies had a Skipper, a teenager. With Sims there are babies and toddlers and kids. I don't like any of them personally, I hated Skipper. But it's nice to have.
I'm too old to play with real Barbies now. Sims is it for me!

It is, but to the extent where it's not 'just' a virtual dollhouse. Well, more like expanding a lot more on it. I remember playing with dolls when I was small and stuffed animals and playing 'house' and whatever else. Assigning rolls to them, creating my own stories and just using my imagination.
Cept now, I have a lot more at my disposal with the sims and bringing more stories alive. :)

So what if it is? Whats it to ya? Not you OP. But just saying. All types of games are valid and welcome.

Yes, it is a virtual dollhouse among other things. And if you enjoy playing it as such then what does that matter? There's no "correct" classification of this series, and so it is what you want it to be.

"duhboy2u2;c-16942958" wrote:
Gender role stereotypes aside, (I don't believe dollhouses are just for girls) I think in a very real way, a life sim and a dollhouse are pretty much the same thing. Children playing with dollhouses mimic the world they see around them when playing. Isn't that wat the Sims does? Either way I agree its fascinating, but then, I've always found human interaction fascinating.

The differences though is you can make your Simself and live out your fantasies in this doll house.

I've frequently referred to The Sims as a dollhouse for adults. Definitely expands on the idea, though. I don't know a lot of kids who built their own dollhouse before they played in it...

Pretty much. It's a more socially acceptable way for adults and males to play with dolls. :D

Sims is a life simulator - period. Not remotely like playing dolls. It's about living life, raising families, doing what your parents did raising all of you, having careers, etc, etc.