3 months ago
- SimHealth, a simulation of U.S. national healthcare, was released in 1994 as part of Maxis's short-lived Business Simulations division, but was criticized for oversimplification and bias.
- SimTower, a Japanese-developed vertical city-building game, became a surprise hit and led to Maxis's IPO in 1995.
- After the IPO, Maxis released numerous Sim-branded games (SimTown, SimIsle, SimCopter, etc.) with mixed commercial success, and the brand became diluted.
- SimCopter sparked controversy when it was discovered to include hidden gay characters, leading to the firing of the artist involved.
- Maxis struggled financially, and Electronic Arts acquired the company in 1997, focusing on the SimCity franchise.
- Under EA, SimCity 3000 was a major success, reviving the company and becoming the best-selling PC game of 1999.
- Will Wright's next project, The Sims, would become a massive hit, overshadowing SimCity's success.