Maxis
Encyclopedia
Maxis is an American
company
founded as an independent
video game developer
in 1987. It is currently a subsidiary of Electronic Arts
(EA). Maxis is the creator of one of the best-selling computer games of all time, The Sims
and its first sequel, The Sims 2
. These titles and their related products are the brand's most popular and successful lines.
Most Maxis titles are simulation-based, though none are considered traditional simulations. Maxis founder Will Wright likens them as "digital dollhouses." Maxis has also released games developed by other production houses, such as A-Train
and SimTower
.
Maxis was founded in 1987 by Will Wright and Jeff Braun
to help publish SimCity
on home computers. Before then, the game was only available on a limited basis on the Commodore 64
due to few publishers
showing any interest in porting
it. The reason for this is because SimCity wasn't a traditional game that had definite "win" and "lose" conditions. The title went on to become, statistically, one of the most popular and successful video games of all time. The SimCity series has since been updated to include SimCity 2000
(1993), SimCity 3000
(1999), SimCity 3000: Unlimited
(2000), SimCity 4
(2003).
Maxis has also released some non-sim titles, such as 1991's
RoboSport
and the well-known 1995
3D Pinball for Windows
, which has been included as one of the standard system games in many Windows releases.
After such success with the SimCity series, Maxis tried various other Sim- titles. Some of these attempts include SimAnt
, SimFarm
, SimEarth
, SimLife
, SimTower
, SimIsle and SimHealth
. Maxis was also approached by companies to design business aids; SimRefinery
is one example. The success of these franchises varies, but none matched that of the original SimCity. Maxis' hit The Sims is the only notable exception.
and also in early packaging of SimCity 2000 Special Edition.
The interview also addresses a rumor stating that Maxis is named after "six AM" in reverse, typically the time of day that a Sim's alarm clock wakes him/her up. The Maxis employee explains that it is just an interesting coincidence. An easter egg
programmed in SimCity 3000 displays the message "Do you know that Maxis spelled backwards is Six AM?" on the game's ticker bar upon entering the cheat code "maxis" in the cheat entry box.
, were commercial failures. They also acquired Cinematronics
to create a game called Crucible. Heavy losses and lack of direction led Maxis to begin considering acquisition offers.
(EA) completed its acquisition of Maxis on July 28, 1997. Compared to other companies acquired by EA, such as Origin Systems
and Westwood Studios
, the absorption of Maxis has taken a slower pace, and the company has retained some of its original staff. The first prints of The Sims
featured Maxis' logo prominently on the front, sides, and back of the box cover. Electronic Arts
' logo, in contrast, was much smaller relatively, and was only visible on the back of the box. After the series proved to be a surprise success, Electronic Arts
slowly replaced Maxis' logos with its own logo. This was first seen with The Sims: Livin' Large
, where Maxis' logo was resized with a much more prominent Electronic Arts
logo placed at the bottom center of the box cover. All releases from 2001 to 2003 bore the logos of both Electronic Arts
and Maxis on the front and back of box covers. With the release of The Sims 2
in 2004, Maxis' logo was only displayed at the back of the box as well as the title screen at the launch of the game. The Sims 2: Pets
, which was released in 2006, omitted Maxis' logo from the game's launch screen though the logo persisted at the back of the box. From The Sims 2: Seasons
onwards, Maxis' logo is completely omitted from both the box and launch screens. Up until The Sims 2: FreeTime
, the logo of Maxis was used for a button in the Options panel of the game to display the credits. In FreeTime, the Maxis logo was replaced by a symbol of the Sims plumbob
. This was to signify the completion of all development responsibility transferals from Maxis to the then newly created division, The Sims Studio
, by Electronic Arts
.
Originally retaining its own online presence, Maxis' website has since been terminated with the website address redirecting to the website for Spore
. All Spore
products released thus far still bear the Maxis' logo on both the box and at game launch.
For many years, Maxis located in Walnut Creek, California
(and before that, Orinda, California
). Currently, the Maxis studio resides in Emeryville, California
.
games, in which there is no specific goal to the player, making its games almost endless.
SimCity
was Maxis' first release and innovated the conception of gaming as there was no specific goal to be reached, meaning that it could neither be won nor lost. In this franchise, the player is a mayor that may, at their leisure, take a city from a single village to a successful metropolis
, laying down zones, taking care of the public services and stimulating the city's economy. The series includes five main games (SimCity
, SimCity 2000
, SimCity 3000
, SimCity 4
and SimCity Societies
) and three spin-offs (SimCity: The Card Game, SimCopter
and Streets of SimCity
). SimCity Societies
, the fifth main release for the franchise, was not produced by Maxis, but by Tilted Mill Entertainment
, being described as a 'social engineering simulator' and criticized for the lack of SimCity's traditional gaming formula.
(2000). Maxis has developed seven expansion pack
s for the game as well as an online version (The Sims Online
). Maxis released The Sims 2
in 2004, a sequel title that features a full 3D
environment as opposed to the original's dimetric
engine. Eight expansion packs and nine stuff packs have been released for the sequel. The third rendition, The Sims 3
, was released by EA in 2009. However, production of the game, its expansion packs and stuff packs were left to The Sims Studio
as Maxis focused on their Spore franchise. Five expansion packs and four stuff packs have been released for this third generation of the series.
, was released on September 7, 2008 (September 5 in Europe
). Players create species
starting at the single cell
level, and develop them into sentient life
. The goal is for them to eventually gain the intelligence to create spaceship
s. The Spore Creature Creator
allows users to create species for later use in the game. This is one of few Maxis' games to feature goals on its plot as the player must complete five different phases and reach the space-traveling technology. There is also an ultimate goal, which is entering the galactic core, a massive black hole
surrounded by a powerful and hostile cyborg
species called The Grox
. However, the player can stay in a single phase as long as they wish, even after completing it.
Spore was largely lauded by media as one of the most revolutionary games of all time. The game currently holds an 84 Metascore on Metacritic
, indicating generally positive reviews from professional critics. EA Games confirmed the production of expansion packs due to Spore's financial success, later releasing Spore: Galactic Adventures
in 2009 as well as several spin-offs and "parts packs".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
founded as an independent
Independent business
In business, an independent business as a term of distinction generally refers to privately owned companies . Independent businesses most commonly take the form of sole-proprietorships...
video game developer
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
in 1987. It is currently a subsidiary of Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
(EA). Maxis is the creator of one of the best-selling computer games of all time, The Sims
The Sims
The Sims is a strategic life-simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. Its development was led by game designer Will Wright, also known for developing SimCity...
and its first sequel, The Sims 2
The Sims 2
The Sims 2 is a strategic life simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the sequel to the best-selling computer game, The Sims, which debuted on February 4, 2000. It was first released on September 14, 2004 for Microsoft Windows. A port to Apple Mac OS X...
. These titles and their related products are the brand's most popular and successful lines.
Most Maxis titles are simulation-based, though none are considered traditional simulations. Maxis founder Will Wright likens them as "digital dollhouses." Maxis has also released games developed by other production houses, such as A-Train
A-Train
is a series of Arcade train simulation video games, originally developed and published by Japanese game developer Artdink in Japan. The first game in the series was published in 1985. The first release in the United States was Take the A-Train II, published in 1989 by the Seika Corporation under...
and SimTower
SimTower
SimTower: The Vertical Empire is a construction and management simulation computer game developed by OPeNBooK Co., Ltd. and published by Maxis for the Microsoft Windows and Mac OS 7 operating systems in November 1994. In Japan, it was published by OPeNBooK that same year and was later released for...
.
Origin and early acclaim
Jeff Braun
Jeff Braun is an American computer game producer and co-founder of the video game developer Maxis.Braun had successfully published font packs for the Amiga personal computer when he met Will Wright at a pizza party hosted by Chris Doner in 1987. Wright had been unsuccessful in finding a game...
to help publish SimCity
SimCity
SimCity is a critically acclaimed city-building simulation video game, first released in 1989, and designed by Will Wright. SimCity was Maxis' first product, which has since been ported into various personal computers and game consoles, and spawned several sequels including SimCity 2000 in 1994,...
on home computers. Before then, the game was only available on a limited basis on the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
due to few publishers
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
showing any interest in porting
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
it. The reason for this is because SimCity wasn't a traditional game that had definite "win" and "lose" conditions. The title went on to become, statistically, one of the most popular and successful video games of all time. The SimCity series has since been updated to include SimCity 2000
SimCity 2000
SimCity 2000 is a simulation/city building video game and the second installment in the SimCity series. SimCity 2000 was first released by Maxis in 1994 for computers running Apple Macintosh Operating System...
(1993), SimCity 3000
SimCity 3000
SimCity 3000 is a city building simulation personal computer game and the third major installment in the SimCity series. It was published by Electronic Arts and developed by series creator Maxis, a wholly owned subsidiary of EA...
(1999), SimCity 3000: Unlimited
SimCity 3000
SimCity 3000 is a city building simulation personal computer game and the third major installment in the SimCity series. It was published by Electronic Arts and developed by series creator Maxis, a wholly owned subsidiary of EA...
(2000), SimCity 4
SimCity 4
SimCity 4 is a city-building/urban planning simulation computer game developed by Maxis, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts. It was released on January 14, 2003. It is the fourth installment in the SimCity series. SimCity 4 has a single expansion pack called Rush Hour which adds features to the game...
(2003).
Maxis has also released some non-sim titles, such as 1991's
1991 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*Microprose creates Civilization, Sid Meier's most successful game .*Electronic Arts releases James Pond 2 and Road Rash for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, starting a series of games that were popular in the 1990s....
RoboSport
RoboSport
RoboSport is a 1991 turn-based strategy computer game. It was created by Edward Kilham and developed and published by Maxis SoftwareThe player creates teams of robots and maneuvers them around a board to map out one "turn" of movement. The other players and AI do the same and then all movement is...
and the well-known 1995
1995 in video gaming
-Events:*May 11 – Introduction of trade magazine GameWeek *May 11-16 — The 1st annual Electronic Entertainment Expo is held in Los Angeles, California...
3D Pinball for Windows
Full Tilt! Pinball
Full Tilt! Pinball is a pinball video game developed by Cinematronics and published by Maxis in 1995. It featured pre-rendered 3D graphics and three "tables", which were essentially different games. The tables were called Space Cadet, Skulduggery, and Dragon's Keep...
, which has been included as one of the standard system games in many Windows releases.
After such success with the SimCity series, Maxis tried various other Sim- titles. Some of these attempts include SimAnt
SimAnt
SimAnt: The Electronic Ant Colony is a 1991 life simulation computer game by Maxis and Maxis' Third Product, focusing on ants. It was designed by Will Wright, maker of other 'Sim' games such as SimCity and The Sims...
, SimFarm
SimFarm
SimFarm: SimCity's Country Cousin, developed by Maxis in 1993, is a computer game in which players build and manage a virtual farm. As the title suggests it is the country cousin to the SimCity series.- Gameplay :...
, SimEarth
SimEarth
SimEarth: The Living Planet, the second life simulation computer game designed by Will Wright in which the player controls the development of a planet. The game was published in 1990 by Maxis...
, SimLife
SimLife
SimLife: The Genetic Playground is a computer game produced by Maxis in 1992. The concept of the game is to simulate an ecosystem; players may modify the genetics of the plants and animals that inhabit the virtual world. The point of this game is to experiment and create a self sustaining...
, SimTower
SimTower
SimTower: The Vertical Empire is a construction and management simulation computer game developed by OPeNBooK Co., Ltd. and published by Maxis for the Microsoft Windows and Mac OS 7 operating systems in November 1994. In Japan, it was published by OPeNBooK that same year and was later released for...
, SimIsle and SimHealth
SimHealth
SimHealth: The National Health Care Simulation, released by Maxis in 1994, is a management simulation of the U.S. Healthcare system produced with assistance from the Markle Foundation.-Summary:...
. Maxis was also approached by companies to design business aids; SimRefinery
SimRefinery
SimRefinery is a computer management simulation game designed to simulate Chevron Corporation's refinery operation. It was developed by Maxis in 1993....
is one example. The success of these franchises varies, but none matched that of the original SimCity. Maxis' hit The Sims is the only notable exception.
Origin of the name
Maxis' name was derived from a formula suggested by Jeff Braun's father: computer game companies should have two-syllable names and should include an 'x'. This is confirmed in an interview with a Maxis employee on a bonus disc released with The Sims: Makin' Magic advertising The Sims 2The Sims 2
The Sims 2 is a strategic life simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the sequel to the best-selling computer game, The Sims, which debuted on February 4, 2000. It was first released on September 14, 2004 for Microsoft Windows. A port to Apple Mac OS X...
and also in early packaging of SimCity 2000 Special Edition.
The interview also addresses a rumor stating that Maxis is named after "six AM" in reverse, typically the time of day that a Sim's alarm clock wakes him/her up. The Maxis employee explains that it is just an interesting coincidence. An easter egg
Easter egg (media)
Image:Carl Oswald Rostosky - Zwei Kaninchen und ein Igel 1861.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Example of Easter egg hidden within imagerect 467 383 539 434 desc none...
programmed in SimCity 3000 displays the message "Do you know that Maxis spelled backwards is Six AM?" on the game's ticker bar upon entering the cheat code "maxis" in the cheat entry box.
Decline
After the immense success of SimCity, Maxis experimented with different genres. However, their new games, including The Crystal Skull and SimCopterSimCopter
SimCopter is a 1996 computer game from Maxis. This game is a 3D offshoot from Maxis's normal fare, putting the player into a 3D city. Like Streets of SimCity, SimCopter lets the user import SimCity 2000 maps into the game.- Objective :...
, were commercial failures. They also acquired Cinematronics
Cinematronics, LLC
Cinematronics, LLC was a Texas-based developer of games for the PC and Mac, founded in 1994 by David Stafford, Mike Sandige and Kevin Gliner. They developed Tritryst for Virgin Interactive, Full Tilt! Pinball for Maxis, and Jack Nicklaus 4 for Accolade...
to create a game called Crucible. Heavy losses and lack of direction led Maxis to begin considering acquisition offers.
Acquisition by EA
Electronic ArtsElectronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
(EA) completed its acquisition of Maxis on July 28, 1997. Compared to other companies acquired by EA, such as Origin Systems
Origin Systems
Origin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004...
and Westwood Studios
Westwood Studios
Westwood Studios was a computer and video game developer, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was founded by Brett Sperry and Louis Castle in as Westwood Associates, and renamed to Westwood Studios when it merged with Virgin Interactive in...
, the absorption of Maxis has taken a slower pace, and the company has retained some of its original staff. The first prints of The Sims
The Sims
The Sims is a strategic life-simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. Its development was led by game designer Will Wright, also known for developing SimCity...
featured Maxis' logo prominently on the front, sides, and back of the box cover. Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
' logo, in contrast, was much smaller relatively, and was only visible on the back of the box. After the series proved to be a surprise success, Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
slowly replaced Maxis' logos with its own logo. This was first seen with The Sims: Livin' Large
The Sims: Livin' Large
The Sims: Livin' Large is the first expansion pack released for the computer simulation game, The Sims. The pack includes new characters, careers, items, and features...
, where Maxis' logo was resized with a much more prominent Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
logo placed at the bottom center of the box cover. All releases from 2001 to 2003 bore the logos of both Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
and Maxis on the front and back of box covers. With the release of The Sims 2
The Sims 2
The Sims 2 is a strategic life simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the sequel to the best-selling computer game, The Sims, which debuted on February 4, 2000. It was first released on September 14, 2004 for Microsoft Windows. A port to Apple Mac OS X...
in 2004, Maxis' logo was only displayed at the back of the box as well as the title screen at the launch of the game. The Sims 2: Pets
The Sims 2: Pets
The Sims 2: Pets is the fourth expansion pack in The Sims 2 series of games, as well as a stand-alone game for several consoles. It is published by Electronic Arts...
, which was released in 2006, omitted Maxis' logo from the game's launch screen though the logo persisted at the back of the box. From The Sims 2: Seasons
The Sims 2: Seasons
-Reception:-External links:*...
onwards, Maxis' logo is completely omitted from both the box and launch screens. Up until The Sims 2: FreeTime
The Sims 2: FreeTime
The Sims 2: FreeTime is the seventh expansion pack in the The Sims 2 video game series.A flyer included in The Sims 2: Bon Voyage expansion pack and The Sims 2 Teen Style Stuff announced this expansion and read: "Now your Sims can enjoy hobbies! Your Sims will have fun taking up a variety of...
, the logo of Maxis was used for a button in the Options panel of the game to display the credits. In FreeTime, the Maxis logo was replaced by a symbol of the Sims plumbob
Plumb-bob
A plumb-bob or a plummet is a weight, usually with a pointed tip on the bottom, that is suspended from a string and used as a vertical reference line, or plumb-line....
. This was to signify the completion of all development responsibility transferals from Maxis to the then newly created division, The Sims Studio
The Sims Studio
The Sims Studio is a division under Electronic Arts's EA Play label. The studio is responsible for the production and expansion of the popular game franchises The Sims and future SimCity titles.-History:...
, by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
.
Originally retaining its own online presence, Maxis' website has since been terminated with the website address redirecting to the website for Spore
Spore
In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...
. All Spore
Spore
In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...
products released thus far still bear the Maxis' logo on both the box and at game launch.
For many years, Maxis located in Walnut Creek, California
Walnut Creek, California
Walnut Creek is an incorporated city located east of the city of Oakland. It lies in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. While not as large as neighboring Concord, Walnut Creek serves as the business and entertainment hub for the neighboring cities within central Contra Costa...
(and before that, Orinda, California
Orinda, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Orinda had a population of 17,643. The population density was 1,389.5 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Orinda was 14,533 White, 149 African American, 22 Native American, 2,016 Asian, 24 Pacific Islander, 122 from other races, and...
). Currently, the Maxis studio resides in Emeryville, California
Emeryville, California
Emeryville is a small city located in Alameda County, California, in the United States. It is located in a corridor between the cities of Berkeley and Oakland, extending to the shore of San Francisco Bay. Its proximity to San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, the University of California, Berkeley, and...
.
Notable creations
Maxis is widely regarded for its innovating simulationSimulation
Simulation is the imitation of some real thing available, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviours of a selected physical or abstract system....
games, in which there is no specific goal to the player, making its games almost endless.
SimCity series
SimCity
SimCity is a critically acclaimed city-building simulation video game, first released in 1989, and designed by Will Wright. SimCity was Maxis' first product, which has since been ported into various personal computers and game consoles, and spawned several sequels including SimCity 2000 in 1994,...
was Maxis' first release and innovated the conception of gaming as there was no specific goal to be reached, meaning that it could neither be won nor lost. In this franchise, the player is a mayor that may, at their leisure, take a city from a single village to a successful metropolis
Metropolis
A metropolis is a very large city or urban area which is a significant economic, political and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections and communications...
, laying down zones, taking care of the public services and stimulating the city's economy. The series includes five main games (SimCity
SimCity
SimCity is a critically acclaimed city-building simulation video game, first released in 1989, and designed by Will Wright. SimCity was Maxis' first product, which has since been ported into various personal computers and game consoles, and spawned several sequels including SimCity 2000 in 1994,...
, SimCity 2000
SimCity 2000
SimCity 2000 is a simulation/city building video game and the second installment in the SimCity series. SimCity 2000 was first released by Maxis in 1994 for computers running Apple Macintosh Operating System...
, SimCity 3000
SimCity 3000
SimCity 3000 is a city building simulation personal computer game and the third major installment in the SimCity series. It was published by Electronic Arts and developed by series creator Maxis, a wholly owned subsidiary of EA...
, SimCity 4
SimCity 4
SimCity 4 is a city-building/urban planning simulation computer game developed by Maxis, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts. It was released on January 14, 2003. It is the fourth installment in the SimCity series. SimCity 4 has a single expansion pack called Rush Hour which adds features to the game...
and SimCity Societies
SimCity Societies
SimCity Societies received mixed reviews. GameZone praised the game's increased accessibility and less "sterile" gameplay compared to previous titles in the SimCity series, and Game Informer concluded that the changes to the gameplay were "inventive"...
) and three spin-offs (SimCity: The Card Game, SimCopter
SimCopter
SimCopter is a 1996 computer game from Maxis. This game is a 3D offshoot from Maxis's normal fare, putting the player into a 3D city. Like Streets of SimCity, SimCopter lets the user import SimCity 2000 maps into the game.- Objective :...
and Streets of SimCity
Streets of SimCity
-External links:* *...
). SimCity Societies
SimCity Societies
SimCity Societies received mixed reviews. GameZone praised the game's increased accessibility and less "sterile" gameplay compared to previous titles in the SimCity series, and Game Informer concluded that the changes to the gameplay were "inventive"...
, the fifth main release for the franchise, was not produced by Maxis, but by Tilted Mill Entertainment
Tilted Mill Entertainment
Tilted Mill Entertainment is a video game developer located in Framingham, Massachusetts. It was founded in 2001 by former Impressions Games lead designer and general manager Chris Beatrice, business manager Peter Haffenreffer, and designer Jeff Fiske....
, being described as a 'social engineering simulator' and criticized for the lack of SimCity's traditional gaming formula.
The Sims
Maxis' most successful series to date and the best-selling PC game of all time is The SimsThe Sims
The Sims is a strategic life-simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. Its development was led by game designer Will Wright, also known for developing SimCity...
(2000). Maxis has developed seven expansion pack
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
s for the game as well as an online version (The Sims Online
The Sims Online
The Sims Online was a massively multiplayer online variation on Maxis's highly popular computer game The Sims. It was published by Electronic Arts and released on December 17, 2002 for Microsoft Windows. In March 2007, EA announced that the product would be re-branded as EA-Land and major...
). Maxis released The Sims 2
The Sims 2
The Sims 2 is a strategic life simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the sequel to the best-selling computer game, The Sims, which debuted on February 4, 2000. It was first released on September 14, 2004 for Microsoft Windows. A port to Apple Mac OS X...
in 2004, a sequel title that features a full 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
environment as opposed to the original's dimetric
Axonometric projection
Axonometric projection is a type of parallel projection, more specifically a type of orthographic projection, used to create a pictorial drawing of an object, where the object is rotated along one or more of its axes relative to the plane of projection....
engine. Eight expansion packs and nine stuff packs have been released for the sequel. The third rendition, The Sims 3
The Sims 3
The Sims 3 is a 2009 strategic life simulation computer game developed by The Sims Studio and published by Electronic Arts. It is the sequel to the best-selling computer game, The Sims 2. It was first released on June 2, 2009 simultaneously for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows...
, was released by EA in 2009. However, production of the game, its expansion packs and stuff packs were left to The Sims Studio
The Sims Studio
The Sims Studio is a division under Electronic Arts's EA Play label. The studio is responsible for the production and expansion of the popular game franchises The Sims and future SimCity titles.-History:...
as Maxis focused on their Spore franchise. Five expansion packs and four stuff packs have been released for this third generation of the series.
Spore
Maxis' latest project, SporeSpore (2008 video game)
Spore is a multi-genre single-player god game developed by Maxis and designed by Will Wright. The game was released for the Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems in September 2008 as Spore...
, was released on September 7, 2008 (September 5 in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
). Players create species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
starting at the single cell
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
level, and develop them into sentient life
Life
Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate...
. The goal is for them to eventually gain the intelligence to create spaceship
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
s. The Spore Creature Creator
Spore Creature Creator
The Spore Creature Creator is software that allows players to create their own creatures with a standalone version of the Creature Editor from Spore; the software was one of the first aspects of the game to receive focused development, and underwent ten rewrites since the start of development...
allows users to create species for later use in the game. This is one of few Maxis' games to feature goals on its plot as the player must complete five different phases and reach the space-traveling technology. There is also an ultimate goal, which is entering the galactic core, a massive black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
surrounded by a powerful and hostile cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
species called The Grox
Grox (Spore)
The Grox are an aggressive and vicious race of mechanically based cyborg carnivores that rule the center of the Galaxy in the video game, Spore. They are commonly thought to be based on the Borg of the Star Trek Series because of the striking physical similarities between the two. The Grox are...
. However, the player can stay in a single phase as long as they wish, even after completing it.
Spore was largely lauded by media as one of the most revolutionary games of all time. The game currently holds an 84 Metascore on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, indicating generally positive reviews from professional critics. EA Games confirmed the production of expansion packs due to Spore's financial success, later releasing Spore: Galactic Adventures
Spore: Galactic Adventures
Spore: Galactic Adventures is the first expansion pack for the multi-genre game Spore, developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. The US version of the game was released on June 23, 2009. The European version was released on June 26, 2009....
in 2009 as well as several spin-offs and "parts packs".
See also
- Computer softwareComputer softwareComputer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
- List of Sim video games
- Electronic ArtsElectronic ArtsElectronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
- List of Maxis games
External links
- Maxis at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- "SIMply Divine: The story of Maxis Software", circa 2000, on GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
by Geoff KeighleyGeoff KeighleyGeoff Keighley is a Canadian video game journalist. His work spans online, print, and TV outlets, and he has been writing about games since 1992....