The Life and Times of Maxis, Part 1: SimEverything
Summary
A historical analysis of Maxis and the Sim franchise, tracing SimCity’s mainstream impact, the Gaia-inspired ambitions of SimEarth, and the suite of Sim titles like SimAnt, SimLife, and SimFarm. The piece places these experiments in the context of game design, media coverage, and Maxis’ business decisions, illustrating how early simulation concepts influenced later software toys and industry trends.