If you love The Sims, then get ready to see the ultimate competition coming to our screens next week.
Electronic Arts has announced that The Sims is heading to the world of reality competition shows. Think Top Chef meets The Sims.
The Sims Spark'd is redefining reality competition!! Spark'd is a brand new show where Simmers take on challenges to create unique characters, amazing builds, and compelling stories in the hopes of impressing the judges! https://t.co/zb5lavPXWV #TheSimsSparkd pic.twitter.com/dELZQ6UdWr
— The Sims (@TheSims) July 8, 2020
The Sims Spark’d is a brand new competition show which features 12 contestants competing for a $100,000 prize.
Players must participate in skills and elimination challenges in The Sims 4 while creating the “most unique characters, worlds and stories”.
Lyndsay Pearson, executive producer for The Sims said: “Something that has always been so special to The Sims is the community and how much our players connect with each other to celebrate, share, collaborate, and show off the things they’ve been able to make or share their stories.”
Pearson is a self-confessed reality TV fan who has compared Sims Spark’d to shows such as Top Chef and Project Runway. “There’s a benefit to putting something that felt previously unattainable into something as accessible as a TV show.”
Who Are the Judges and Contestants?
Contestants are judged by a series of celebrity judges including Buzzfeed/Youtube personality Kelsey Impicciche, game developer Dave Miotke and singer-songwriter Tayla Parx. Hosting the show is American Idol finalist Rayvon Owen.
The contestants will remain a mystery until the show’s premiere but they will include “familiar online personalities who each specialize in their own element of The Sims gameplay”. Some are best at building structures, others at telling stories, creating characters or forging relationships. With each contestant bringing their own creative flair to The Sims, it should make for some interesting combined content.
Where Can We Watch The Sims Spark’d?
This four-episode series will start on July 17th and episodes will air on TBS on Fridays and Saturdays. The online version will be available to watch on Buzzfeed’s Multiplayer Youtube channel on the following Monday.
Get Involved At Home with In-Game Challenges
To go along with the show, The Sims 4 will feature a series of in-game challenges linked to the show so that people at home can get involved. This aims to get new people into the Sims who may not have played before and also give existing fans something new to do.
Pearson likened this element of the show to something she does herself when watching shows like Cupcake Wars. “I particularly watch baking shows, and I love that in a lot of them I’m like ‘I can go make a cookie. That’s what we were working towards. The in-game challenges are props to spark that creative moment.”
Pearson also promises that this show “isn’t just watching someone at a computer”. She says that the producers have found a way to show the creative side of the game in an entertaining way.
What do you think of the new Sims reality TV show? Will you be tuning in to watch or participate in the in-game challenges? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.