The Life and Times of Maxis, Part 1: From SimEarth to SimEverything — A Digital Antiquarian Retrospective
Part 1 of a deep-dive historical retrospective on Maxis, the game studio founded by Will Wright. The article explores the origins of Maxis, focusing on the development and cultural impact of SimEarth and other early simulation games. It examines Wright's fascination with complex systems like continental drift and how that shaped the studio's unique approach to "software toys" — open-ended simulations rather than traditional goal-oriented games. The piece covers the studio's rise, its philosophical approach to game design, and the early days of the simulation genre.
Key quotes
I'm still to this day just blown away by continental drift and things like that, stuff that most people think sounds pretty boring.
Gamers are both extremely dedicated to and really good at preserving the history of their hobby.
Seldom has a month gone by in the fifteen years that I've been writing for this site that I haven't had cause to feel grateful for their efforts.
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