Episode Details

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In 2000, the final page of The Sims manual came with an offer: a list of books to “enhance your understanding of some of the background and social issues entertained” in the game. It also warned us: “all are filled with provocative ideas; Maxis disavows any responsibility for encouraging deep thought.”

A quarter century later, we’re taking them up on it. With Reticulating Splines, we’re going to tackle the recommended reading list one book and one episode at a time. We’ll discover what these books are arguing, decide whether they succeed or fail, and unpack how they helped build the world of The Sims. We’ll also explore what the game meant to us, and what kind of future it helped us to see.

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