Electronic Arts and ACMI are throwing it back to the year 2000 with a fully immersive celebration of The Sims.
Local design duo Josh & Matt Design will transform a section of Australia’s national museum of screen culture into a nostalgic pre-teen bedroom, complete with blow-up couches, CD towers and fuzzy rugs. The three-day pop-up event invites fans to reconnect with the groundbreaking cultural phenomenon that has sold nearly 200 million copies across four games and dozens of expansion packs.
Free gameplay stations throughout the space will be loaded with the newly released The Sims: Birthday Bundle, allowing visitors to experience the game that pioneered the life simulation genre and influenced everything from reality television to DIY culture, pop music, design and social media.
The Sims 25
- ACMI, Federation Square
- Friday 21 – Sunday 23 February 2025
- 10am – 5pm daily
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
The celebration includes live broadcast sessions featuring favourite Sims creators streaming directly from ACMI, showcasing the creativity and passion that has driven the community for a quarter century.
A specialist panel discussion on Saturday 22 February brings together key figures in The Sims universe, including Mavis Chan, General Manager of Simulation Division at EA/Firemonkeys, ACMI Curator Jini Maxwell, and Josh Jessup and Matt Moss of Josh & Matt Design. The panel will explore the origins, cultural impact, iconic moments and thriving fandom of the franchise that has left an indelible mark on gaming history.
The pop-up space promises to be a total time warp for fans of all ages, merging classic Sims design elements and easter eggs with authentic millennium aesthetics. Josh & Matt Design, known for their social media presence and distinctive style, will ensure the installation captures both the essence of Y2K culture and the game’s unique visual language.
Free entry available with registration here.
