Maxis went public in 1995 with revenue of US$ 38 million . The stock reached $ 50 a share and then dropped as Maxis posted a loss . EA bought Maxis in June 1997 . Wright had been thinking about making a virtual doll house ever since the early 1990s , similar to '' SimCity '' but focused on individual people ; after losing his home during the Oakland firestorm of 1991 , he was inspired to turn his experiences of rebuilding his life into a game . Sims would be based on Wright 's focus on building homes , which came from inspiration he found first-hand . Wright , was even sure to include many fires in the game , which were extra difficult for the player to extinguish . Themes like carpentry , home construction , and bare ground in need of landscaping , are common throughout the game . Originally conceived of as an architectural design game called '' Home Tactics '' , Wright 's idea changed when someone suggested the player should be rated on the quality of life experience by the homeowners . It was a difficult idea to sell to EA , because already 40 % of Maxis 's employees had been laid off
Oakland firestorm of 1991
Oakland firestorm of 1991
Will Wright (game designer)