The money could've been better spent developing additions to the game instead of a run-of-the-mill reality show. | Source: YouTube/TheSims
- A reality TV show based on The Sims is coming out later this month.
- The show pits teams against each other in an attempt to win $100,000.
- Not only does the show look bad, but fans are upset about the money being spent on it.
The Sims is being turned into a reality tv show. A trailer revealed the show on the series’ official channel yesterday .
The show is sizing up various teams against each other in a creativity competition. They will have to create their own Sims and then write a story around them. The winning team will then receive a $100,000 prize.
This is despite a widely perceived lack of content in The Sims 4 . I can’t tell if this show is awful or amazing.
The Sims Reality Show Looks Awful
Watching the trailer for The Sims Spark’d made me feel queasy. As someone with a background in film and TV production, you can tell that this is going to be as by-the-numbers as possible.
This is a reality show that promises everything from drama to genuinely tearful scenes. All of these intense scenes are apparently spawning from a series about playing The Sims and writing fan-fiction.
The Sims community has been doing this for years, so they’re probably experts at it by now .
Surely This Money Could Have Been Spent on the Actual Game?
The most significant point of contention among reaction to the trailer has been the amount of money spent on the show. It looks entirely similar to other high-production reality competition shows.
On average, reality shows can cost between $100,000 and $500,000 per episode to make . So even if the show only runs for four episodes , that’s at least $400,000, plus the $100,000 cash prize.
Just imagine how much content The Sims 4 could get if the developers were given $500,000 in extra funds to produce content. Even in an era of ballooning budgets, that’s got to get you more than a hamster and a doggy spacesuit.
The Sims Spark’d Is a Double-Edged Sword.
I’ve done a lot of complaining about The Sims Spark’d. There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical about it. The show looks like generic reality TV with The Sims in it. It’s also probably quite expensive and probably pointless.
That doesn’t mean there are no reasons to be positive about it, though. If a show about The Sims is being made and broadcast on TV, that means that gaming is more widely accepted culturally.
Even if that has manifested as a trashy-looking reality show, it’s still a good sign in my books. Now let’s hope the next gaming-centric show is a bit more upmarket.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com
