I spend, therefore I am: An analysis on the importance of consuming in The Sims 4

Abstract

Kline et al. (2003) explained more than fourteen years ago how the first version of The Sims simulates a digital world in which consuming is priority number one. Although The Sims is supposed to be a digital sandbox where every story seems possible, I argue that this notion is perhaps not entirely true because elements in the game could evoke players to play in specific ways. In this thesis I investigated how the newest version of The Sims structures the idea of consuming. In addition to Kline et al. (2003), I proposed to analyse The Sims 4 by a game specific approach, focussing on two concepts: procedural rhetoric and indexical storytelling. In relation to the concept of procedural rhetoric, as explained by Ian Bogost (2010), I analysed how underlying procedures convey an argument to the game its players. The most intriguing finding is that money in the game is even so important, that it is preliminary to all other human needs, such as safety, food and water. However, Teresa de la Hera (2014) argues that guiding players' behaviour through rules is not as simple as Bogost tries to convince us. Therefore I studied The Sims 4 also in relation to the concept of indexical storytelling, as explained by Fernandez-Vara (2011). I found that many game elements trigger players to play in a specific way, structuring the overall narrative of the game, in which consuming is very important. Although The Sims 4 seems to be a sandbox, game elements forcefully pushes the player towards a particular type of narrative that focuses on earning money to buy the best consumer goods.