Sul, Sul! The Sims need no introductions – but here’s one anyway.
For 25 years, The Sims franchise has been quietly shaping digital culture one sim at a time. Woven into the fabric of internet humour, lifestyle aspiration, and even visual architecture, from legacy challenges on YouTube to viral TikToks recreating celebrity mansions. The Sims has remained unexpectedly relevant, long after most games of its generation faded from view. Now, with whispers of a Sims movie being officially confirmed, the franchise’s cultural footprint is only deepening. So, what’s the secret to its longevity? One key strategy: The Sims has masterfully leveraged influencers to stay not just relevant, but essential.
In fact, they were doing influencers before marketers even considered it an industry. With star-studded singers like Katy Perry, My Chemical Romance and Lily Allen recording in-game Simlish tracks (their unique language), they understood early on that users didn’t want to just play a game – they wanted to live in a world they could remix, share, and make their own.
In this blog, we’ll explore how EA and Maxis have transformed players into brand ambassadors, keeping the game alive (unlike some of our sims) in the age of the algorithm-driven entertainment landscape.
Contents:
- What is The Sims?
- How The Sims leverages influencers and influencer marketing
- How The Sims works with influencers beyond the game itself
- What brands can learn from The Sims’ influencer marketing strategy
What is The Sims?
The Sims is a life simulation game where each player is the architect, director, and occasional chaos agent in the lives of virtual characters called the Sims. At its core, The Sims allows players to create characters from scratch, customising everything from their appearance, and personality traits to their aspirations and quirks. From there, users guide these sims through their daily lives – from decorating homes, building relationships, starting families, and sometimes accidentally setting the kitchen on fire while trying to make grilled cheese.
But, The Sims is more than just a game, it’s a storytelling engine. Every choice you make influences your sim’s story. Will they become a world-famous actor, a kleptomaniac, or maybe even an influencer? The real magic lies in the freedom to craft lives exactly how you want – whether that means wholesome legacies or a dramatic soap opera filled with love triangles, awkward dinner parties, or trapping your husband in a pool.
With endless customisation options, a growing collection of expansion packs, and a thriving global community of over 85 million players and creators, The Sims has remained a cultural force for over 25 years – and much of that staying power comes from how the franchise embraces and empowers its players.
How The Sims leverages influencers and influencer marketing
The EA Creators Network
The EA Creators Network is Electronic Arts’ dedicated initiative to collaborate with creators and influencers worldwide, offering exclusive opportunities to deeply engage with The Sims community and beyond. Members enjoy perks like early access to new packs, the opportunity to design their own in-game kits, and participation in the ‘Support-A-Creator’ program, which allows creators to earn commissions based on expansion pack purchases made through their affiliate game code.
So, why does this matter?
Because it’s marketing for the community, by the community.
What truly sets the program apart is how it embodies the brand’s core values of creativity and self-expression. Instead of dictating what creators should say, EA empowers them with tools and access, letting them take the lead on how and what they share.
These creators understand their communities. They know what game packs are non-negotiable, which bugs are deal-breakers, and what content excites their audience most. In effect, they become a two-way channel – providing valuable feedback to developers while amplifying new features and releases to fans. Unlike traditional top-down campaigns, EA’s creator strategy feels genuine, and fan-first. And that’s exactly why it works.
The game is co-created by the people who play it, love and want to inspire others to do the same.
The result? Compelling content that resonates with gamers EA wants to reach – those passionate about storytelling, design, and endless customisation.
Star-studded players
From Twiggy & Avril Lavigne in the early games to TikToker Baby Ariel in the game’s latest edition, The Sims has been subtly nodding to celebrities for over 25 years. This year, they took it up a notch with an exclusive partnership with musician Doja Cat. Not only did they design her as a playable Sim, but they also decided to make her a permanent feature of the ‘Small Businesses and Hobbies’ expansion pack. This new pack allows users to create any business they desire and features the new ‘Tattoo artist’ career. Known for her eclectic tattoos and expressive personality, Doja Cat selected three tattoos to feature in the game, available to any player with the latest pack.
But this partnership isn’t just focused on her celebrity presence but her love for the game. In fact, we can date Doja Cat’s relationship with the game back to 2018, when she released a SoundCloud track called “Nintendhoe.” (Yes, that’s really what it’s called.)
Fast-forward to today, and she headlined a 25-hour livestream alongside other celebs and influencers – including Latto (13.7m) and drag queens Trixie Mattel (4.2m) and Katya (2.9m) – to celebrate the franchise’s anniversary. The livestream showcased gameplay across all the different Sims generations, highlighting the enduring legacy of the brand.
This collaboration epitomises The Sims as a brand. A game that can be played by anyone – even a 21x award-winning musician. More importantly, it highlights why partnerships like this are so valuable. By bringing in real-world personalities who genuinely love and play the game, The Sims stays deeply connected to its fanbase. These collaborations help the brand build cultural relevance and stay in sync with the latest cultural trends, ensuring it continues to resonate with both longtime fans and new audiences alike.
Championing diversity
In 2022, a Maxis survey of 18,000 players revealed powerful insights: over 38% of ‘Simmers’ identify as people of colour and 43% of players are members of the LGBTQIA+ community – compared to the 9% US national average. As a game that has always championed freedom of identity and self-expression, they recognised the need for inclusive gaming experiences.
The solution was custom content. ‘Play in Color’ is a campaign and documentary that shone a spotlight on the need for genuine representation in gaming. In partnership with beauty brand Dark and Lovely, a L’Oréal Group brand, and Danielle Udogaranya, the Founder of Ebonix: a Sims 4 Creator and Digital Artist, they produced ethnically diverse hairstyles that better reflected black and brown communities. The campaign wasn’t just cosmetic; it was a clear statement of the brand’s values, showing that even as a legacy brand, The Sims isn’t afraid to evolve meaningfully.
And their efforts haven’t stopped at racial representation. With such a large portion of its community identifying as LGBTQIA+, The Sims has also made significant strides in expanding gender and sexuality inclusion within the game. From deeper gender customisation tools and the introduction of gender-affirming surgery scars, the game now offers players a richer, more representative way to create and play. Most recently, a free content update was brought in-game – released just days after Trans Day of Visibility – added a new range of inclusive hairstyles, clothing, and decor, giving players even more freedom to explore identity and sexuality in-game.
The update caught the attention of major Sims creators, including lilsimsie, a prominent member of the EA Creator Network. While the video she produced wasn’t directly sponsored, the network incentivises creators to showcase new content to their communities, many of whom will download the game and get hooked like the rest of their 85 million players. It’s a smart system: content that feels honest, shared by people who genuinely care about the game and received by audiences who see themselves reflected in it.
Community Content & Viral Moments
If there’s one thing The Sims knows how to do well, it’s leveraging viral moments. The game has long leaned into community-generated content as a core part of its brand identity. With a loyal fanbase of players and creators constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in-game, The Sims doesn’t need to manufacture virality, they just need to reshare it.
And that’s exactly what they do. From cinematic reenactments of shows like White Lotus and Severance to parody takes of Love Island, creators regularly weave current pop culture into their gameplay. The Sims actively highlights these creations by reposting and promoting them across their official social media channels, ensuring that this user-generated content gains widespread visibility and engagement.
But these kinds of posts do more than entertain. They manage their community, celebrate player creativity, and tap into lifestyle and entertainment overlaps. If someone is a long-time fan of Love Island and The Sims, there’s a good chance they’d also enjoy building a drama-filled villa in The Sims using their ‘Lovestruck’ expansion pack, and that’s exactly the kind of organic synergy the brand wants to amplify.
How The Sims works with influencers beyond the game itself
Whilst The Sims has effectively leveraged the gaming community, they don’t limit their strategy to their own industry. As other franchises stay in their lane, The Sims drives full speed into the wider influencer marketing industry. Chefs, equestrians, comedy skit makers, even lifestyle influencers – they’re all a part of their process.
This isn’t about forcing square pegs into round holes. It’s about reaching people who are already living the The Sims experience – storytellers, creators, people who thrive on drama and detail – creators who know the power of a well-cooked meal or a disastrous dinner party. By working with creators outside of the ‘gamer’ label, The Sims proves that it’s not just a game – it’s a reflection of their audience’s lifestyle.
When The Goat Agency worked with The Sims, we recognised that this lifestyle overlap was key in engaging new and old players. Working across the US, UK, France and Germany, we creatively angled our full-funnel campaigns using one central theme: comfort meets chaos – the space between cosy gamers who want to create families and players who want to kill them.
We paired influencers that aligned with upcoming Sims 4 expansion & game packs. From marriage proposals and death by broken hearts for the ‘Lovestruck’ expansion pack to Alissa Nguyen’s (3.1M) pumpkin spice waffles for the ‘Home Chef Hustle’ game pack, our campaigns garnered significant engagement and attraction and ensured that the audience’s interests were met. As a game where anything goes, we had a diverse array of influencers from every end of social media to support this ambition.
What brands can learn from The Sims’ influencer marketing strategy
For brand marketers, The Sims offers a masterclass on how to build lasting cultural relevance through a community-first, creator-led strategy. Their success is no accident – it’s rooted in an understanding that the most powerful promotion doesn’t just come from people who are rooted in their industry, but creators who understand how their product overlaps with their lifestyle. By choosing creators who already live and breathe The Sims – who know the quirks, community jokes, the mod culture, and exactly which packs are worth buying – EA ensures that every piece of content feels native.
But where the strategy really levels up is in how it expands beyond the gaming space together.
They’re unrestricted to obvious partnerships – instead, it seeks out people whose real lives mirror the types of stories you’d get in-game. From decorators, drag artists, and even chaos-living lifestyle creators. They might not be lifelong ‘Simmers,’ but they embody the creative, expressive, and drama-filled world the Sims represents.
Final thoughts
When an influencer’s personality naturally aligns with your brand experience, the content doesn’t have to work overtime to make an impact. It feels effortless, entertaining, and most importantly – community-led. Influencers play a key role in this ecosystem. When they genuinely connect with the brand, their content becomes a bridge between the game and broader cultural conversations. Their creativity and reach help surface the game’s relevance in new spaces – be it music, fashion, entertainment or lifestyle – while still feeling community rooted.
For other brands looking to build this kind of long-term cultural relevance, the playbook is clear: leverage your community and your creators. Start with the fans who already understand your brand’s values, and expand through influencers who genuinely live and breathe it. Give them the tools and freedom to co-create their audience’s experience. When brands support and spotlight these voices, they unlock something more powerful than promotion – they build resonance, trust and longevity.
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As a global influencer marketing agency, we’ve produced award winning campaigns across every industry, including gaming. Check out our award-nominated work with World of Warcraft.
Ready to level up your strategy? Get in touch today and let The Goat Agency show you how.
