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Will success be 'Sim'-ulated on TV?Popular PC game creator targets other small screen
By Daniel Sieberg
(CNN) -- Gamers have countless chances to play deity with the extensive lineup of "Sims" titles from Electronic Arts. Soon TV viewers may be able to watch ideas come to life from the "God-like" creator of these Tamagotchi-style worlds after the announcement of a development deal that gives Fox Broadcasting first dibs on any of his projects. But Will Wright reportedly wants to move beyond the simulation games that helped make him an industry celebrity and branch out into other entertainment areas, such as robots on reality shows. Fox execs are coy about where the partnership might lead, though they insist it won't be putting "The Sims" on TV. Maybe a sitcom, they said, but likely not a "Sim"-com. To translate: Take Wright, shake him upside down and see what falls out of his imagination. Based on his track record, Fox is banking on a hit. But the broadcaster undoubtedly will approach its partnership with Wright with some trepidation following the subpar launch of "The Sims Online" last year. Initially, estimates were for about 1 million subscribers. Six months later, the numbers are closer to 100,000. By comparison, the most popular multiplayer online game of all time, Sony Online Entertainment's "EverQuest," is pegged at just under half a million. Some analysts said they believe that people who enjoy the doll-like control over their "Sims" characters weren't interested or prepared to play with real people online. Others said the game's $10 monthly fee scared off casual gamers, who make up the bulk of the "Sims" fan base. Throughout the ups and downs, Wright and his team have managed to sustain a powerhouse gaming franchise, selling more than 25 million "Sims" games worldwide -- more than any other PC game in the industry's history, according to Electronic Arts. "Sims" expansion packs continue to see steady sales. "SimCity" has reached sequel No. 4, and "The Sims 2" is also on the horizon for early next year. I've been playing "Sims" games since my brother and I built pixilated cities on "SimCity" with our Commodore 64 in the mid-1980s. And I've spoken to Wright on several occasions, including an interview a few years ago in which he analyzed the sociology of "The Sims" and the reasons gamers keep playing. An example of what he said during the interview about "The Sims": "Everyone is narcissistic at some level, so having a game about your life can be a powerful concept." But shifting into TV? It's largely uncharted territory for gaming gurus of Wright's pedigree. (Neil Young, the Electronic Arts developer who created the innovative game "Majestic," signed a similar deal, but it evaporated when the game flopped.) Fox has to trust that Wright's more than just a man with one big idea. (Granted, it's a really big idea.) Bottom line: Wright is pensive, yet gregarious, and he always measures his words carefully. He's a futurist and philosopher of sorts, looking to explore the curious relationship between man and machine. He also knows how to keep an audience (albeit a gaming one) hooked by adding surprises, twists and advancements. Given Wright's track record and his evolving mind, it seems fair to say that Fox has made the right decision. But even a sure thing can backfire, as evidenced by "The Sims Online." Like constructing any city, the foundation is perhaps most important to its long-term success, and the wrong expansion can ruin it. Without knowing more details about the ideas being tossed about (Wright's people are mum at the moment), it's hard to speculate. Regardless, if Wright's foray into television is a failure, he'll wish he had the ability to control the real world and not just the virtual one.
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