it's a gene problem

Personally I've enjoyed Sims and Sims2. I played them on and off, downloaded all kinds of goofy stuff for them, even bought a couple expansion packs. One of my brothers has played them on and off as well, although he probably wouldn't have gotten into them had it not been for his wife playing it. Aside from my brother and I, I can't really think of any other guys I know that really got into Sims games, they do seem to appeal mostly to women. My sister in-law, my girlfriend and a few various female friends have all been hooked on the Sims games(mainly Sims 2) at one point or another. I don't know exactly why Sims games attract such a strong female fanbase.

Hmm, I wanted to say that it's because it's a bit like playing with dolls as many girls do as kids, but I don't think that really explains it very well. My girlfriend got really hooked on Sims 2 for several months and she never once owned a single doll as a child(stuffed animals and transforms sure, but no dolls), granted 1 example can't prove or disprove anything. I guess it could be that games like those in the Sims series appeal to the same interests as dressing up, playing with dolls, playing house, etc. Those activities all seem to appeal to some interest that is culturally and/or biologically encouraged in girls. (pardon my train-of-thought writing)

On a similar note, I've noticed a few guys dismiss the Sims series as being 'chick games', taking an adamant stance that the games are terrible or declaring hatred for the games despite having never actually played them. Why is that I wonder?

As for games like SimCity or the Tycoon games, I never really thought of those as being especially feminine, rather they seem to be more inclusive of a wider audience of potential players.

I think it has something to do with how (most people I know claim this, so don't go quoting me for it! :P) women are better at management and multi-tasking skills, which sims and harvest moon's game mechanics are based on. When I first played sims, my char was always starving, needed to go to the toilet, etc. cause I always tried to rush him to get as much done as possible like getting promoted or raising even more cash and such. I guess women also have more patience then men as well hehe.

If you're talking about the Sims specifically guys tend to just want to fuck the town up more than play the game. Last time I had a Sims file I got the parents to fight until the dad ran away in his pajamas in the middle of the night, then pissed himself in the streets and slept in it. Then I shut off all the doors/windows, put a bunch of shrubs around a BBQ and had the mother BBQ until the house caught on fire. One of the kids died while the house was burning and when the mother prayed at the grave she got burned too. I laughed and then shut the game down.

That was the ultimate example of my terribleness in the sims. It all just kind of came together in that one try, usually it's much lower scale things like making them work too hard or something. Though I tend to have Sims with bladder issues whenever I play.

I do realize that I'm a terribly cruel person though.