Reflection of alternative life that constituting in virtual world to everyday life: The Sims game

The Impact of Alternative Life in the Virtual World on Everyday Life: The Example of The Sims deals with how digital games affect people's everyday life. First, the concept of "everyday life" is defined and later the changes it has undergone with digitalization are explained in detail. The digitalization-led transformation of self-presentations in everyday life and how they're reproduced in each digital medium are described. Self-presentations are diversified in social media and digital games, which are categorized among the new media tools as it is much easier for one to create a new self or to present oneself as one wishes in the virtual world. Compared to real life, in the virtual worlds offered by new media platforms, people have the identities and lives they desire or show others that they have them. Simulation games, which are a type of digital game, resume as a virtual alternative life against everyday life and have become very popular recently. In this study, the simulation game "The Sims" is selected as a sample and it is investigated for how it offers an alternative life to the real world. Unlike other digital games, "The Sims" and similar simulation games do not have concepts such as racing, competition, action or adventure, but rather focus on people's everyday routines and activities. Whenever the person wants to quit the game, then the game is over. "The Sims" or similar others, which come across as simulations of a normal life, offer people an alternative character and life created in the virtual world. In this study, the findings obtained as a result of interviews conducted with 8 players of "The Sims" are discussed.