*Roaring Heights, one of the official The Sims 3 worlds available on the The Sims 3 Store.*

The Sims game, when first introduced, has always been about playing with life, building, and storytelling. Players would not automatically think that there’s an established timeline and lore in these games. Many would just jump into creating their Sims, playing with them, and creating their homes and lives. But, after hours of playing and observation on the games’ recurring premades and townies who have their own stories, the fans were instantly charmed and captivated by the rich lore and memorable Sims of the franchise.

The timeline was not told in a linear fashion. According to The Sims Wiki:

“Generally speaking, the events of The Sims 3 occur the earliest in the in-universe chronology of the series, followed by the events of The Sims and then The Sims 2. For example, Bob Newbie and Betty Simovitch appear as teenagers in The Sims 3, are married in The Sims, and have had a child and have died by The Sims 2. However, there are several instances (especially with The Sims 3) where events do not seem to agree with the in-universe chronology. There are several player theories which attempt to resolve these discrepancies, as well as some canonical alternatives, such as time travel in The Sims 3: Into the Future. The Sims 4 does not follow the in-universe chronology of the series, but does have some returning families, making it seem like an alternative universe.”

The Bob & Betty Newbie story mentioned above is just one of the examples of lore in The Sims which established a timeline of events in the whole series. But, the chronology became a little bit confusing when EA released a lot of new worlds in The Sims 3 expansion packs and The Sims 3 Store, in which some have returning premades from the previous games, but in different time periods of their lives. Couple that with inconsistencies and discrepancies in the stories and Sims’ ages, personalities, and appearances due to developers’ oversight and lack of care for details, which I’ll get into later in a bit.

One member of The Sims community, Josef (@josefbutwithanF) researched through the canon lore, despite the inconsistencies and discrepancies, and has made a comprehensive canonical and chronological order of The Sims 3 worlds, from earliest to the latest:

1. Twinbrook

Notzo Curious and Zo Whelohff, the grandparents of Jenny Smith, the alien Singles twins, and Curious brothers from Strangetown, are a toddler and child living with their families.

2. Starlight Shores

*Starlight Shores from The Sims 3: Showtime*

Girbits Worthington bears a striking resemblance to Frances J. Worthington III from La Fiesta Tech in The Sims 2: University, more than likely making him his grandfather, which is in line with the chronology of the games.

3. Sunset Valley

It's confirmed to be set 25 years before The Sims and 50 years before The Sims 2. Bella Bachelor and Mortimer Goth are roughly 10 years old and the Altos have just recently moved to town (speculatively from Bridgeport).

4. Bridgeport

*Bridgeport from The Sims 3: Late Night*

All of the Big Bling household used to live in Twinbrook, according to their bio. Ebenezer Alto founded the town and Bert Alto used to live there, as did Nick, Vita, and Holly (speculatively).

5. Moonlight Falls

*Moonlight Falls from The Sims 3: Supernatural*

Frida Goth left her brother and his family in Sunset Valley, moved in with her uncle Simon and his wife Oliva, but the whole household died. Fricorith Tricou is buried in town, placing the world BEFORE Downtown in The Sims 2: Nightlife, assuming his grave was relocated later. Oberon and Titania Summerdream are both townies in Moonlight Falls, but without their children, placing the world BEFORE Veronaville since fairies age differently than humans.

6. Riverview

Bob and Betty Newbie (Simovitch) appear as teenagers with their parents, placing the world BEFORE Pleasantview Don Lothario’s bio mentions him being sent back in time and winding up in Riverview AFTER the events of Pleasantview.

7. Hidden Springs

Nick Alto’s brother, Bert, moved to Hidden Springs from Bridgeport after suspiciously obtaining a large fortune. The Cho family is originally from Bridgeport and moved to Hidden Springs after Simon retired early.

8. Roaring Heights

Consort (Thebe) and Contessa Capp are young adults living in Roaring Heights with their young children, Goneril and Regan. Contessa is pregnant with Kent Capp.

9. Monte Vista

Goopy GilsCarbo is a toddler living with his parents, placing the world BEFORE both Pleasantview and Barnacle Bay. Patrizio and Isabella Monty are living in town with their young children Antonio and Bianca, and pregnant with Claudio.

10. Aurora Skies

Loki and Erin Beaker are children with their parents, Bjorn and Gundrun. Magnus Mango runs the military in town BEFORE his cousin Maru Mango joined the military in Sunlit Tides.

11. Isla Paradiso

*Isla Paradiso from The Sims 3: Island Paradise*

Edward and Cara Dregg are ghosts “living” in Isla Paradiso, and it’s implied that Edward’s love for travel will separate them, placing the world BEFORE The Sims 2.

12. Midnight Hollow

Olive Specter is a young adult with her toddler son, Nervous Subject.

13. Sunlit Tides

Daniel and Mary-Sue Pleasant are young adults on their honeymoon, placing the world AFTER Sunset Valley, SLIGHTLY BEFORE Dragon Valley, and BEFORE Pleasantview. Griffin Alto left the Alto family business and settled in Sunlit Tides. Maru Mango joined the military and sent his cousin Magnus a letter after.

14. Dragon Valley

John Burb and Jennifer Pleasant are young adults that are engaged and got stuck in Dragon Valley before their wedding, placing the world BEFORE Pleasantview and AFTER Sunlit Tides (Daniel and Mary-Sue got married before them).

15. Lucky Palms

Darren Dreamer is a young, single artist in town. Darleen Matlapin lives with her parents and hasn’t married Darren Dreamer yet, placing the world BEFORE Pleasantview.

16. Appaloosa Plains

*Appaloosa Plains from The Sims 3: Pets*

The Parrots moved from Hawaii (implied to be Sunlit Tides) and have other family there.

17. Barnacle Bay

The Caliente sisters live with their roommate, Luisa Libros. Their bios say “The Sims 2 sisters are back!” and reference Pleasantview, confirming the town is set AFTER Pleasantview.

18. Lunar Lakes

There are descendants from almost every The Sims 3 world living in Lunar Lakes, as the world was founded by space voyagers looking for another planet to colonize. Bella Goth is found dead and confirmed to be the same one from Pleasantview.

19. Oasis Landing

*Oasis Landing from The Sims 3: Into The Future*

The world is set in the farthest in the future out of all of the TS3 worlds and is still on Earth (SimNation). Atom and Ceres Beaker are the twin clone children of Loki Beaker, and were transported to the future from their home in Strangetown due to a scientific experiment. Planchette Spector was brought back from the dead and is the last of the Spector bloodline.

With this expanded lore of The Sims universe also came some inconsistencies and discrepancies that many players have pointed out and criticized over the years. Below are just some of the more obvious errors and oversight:

1. Kaylynn Langerak

Kaylynn with her father Dustin Langerak

Kaylynn Langerak playing with Mortimer Goth

Kaylynn Langerak’s age at the start of Sunset Valley is not in line with the established lore in Pleasantview from The Sims 2. In Sunset Valley, which supposed to have taken 50 years before Pleasantview, Kaylynn was a child and a bit older than Mortimer Goth and Bella Bachelor, while in Pleasantview, she is only an adult, working as a maid for the Pleasant family and maybe other households there, while Mortimer is already an elder. To make sense of this oversight, some players have theorized that Sunset Valley Kaylynn is not the Pleasantview Kaylynn, but the mother of the latter; or, that Kaylynn has access to the Elixir of Life, thus still looking young by the time the Pleasantview events took place.

2. Skip Broke and Riverview

Skip Broke and his family in Riverview

Don Lothario in Riverview

Skip Broke, being a child in Riverview, also does not make sense with the established The Sims 2 lore. In The Sims 2, he’s the late husband of Brandi Broke (the only daughter of Bob and Betty Newbie) and died as an adult in Pleasantview by drowning in the pool, shortly before the game starts. In The Sims 3: Riverview, he’s a child living with his family in the trailer park, while at the same time, Bob Newbie and Betty Simovitch were still teenagers. This means that Skip has a huge age gap with Brandi and should’ve already been an elder in The Sims 2. Players also theorized that maybe he has access to the Elixir of Life, thus still staying young by the time the Pleasantview events took place. Another criticism in Riverview is Don Lothario’s lighter skintone compared to his more medium tan skintone in The Sims 2.

3. Titania and Oberon Summerdream

*Titania and Oberon Summerdream from Moonlight Falls (The Sims 3: Supernatural)*

The personalities of Titania and Oberon Summerdream do not match the personalities of their original counterparts. They’re already married in Moonlight Falls, and in The Sims 2, they’re not.

4. The Monty Family

*The Monty family (Patrizio, Isabella, Antonio and Bianca) from Monte Vista (The Sims 3 Store)*

The returning Montys in Monte Vista were also criticized for having lighter skintones and their children being in the wrong birth order. In The Sims 2, Antonio is older than Bianca, while in The Sims 3, Bianca became the eldest of the siblings, with her already being a child and Antonio still a toddler.

5. The Caliente Sisters

Dina Caliente talking to Luisa Libros in Barnacle Bay

Nina Caliente in Barnacle Bay

The Caliente sisters in Barnacle Bay were also criticized for having opposite personalities from their original TS2 counterparts.

These are just some of the more obvious errors and oversight in development of these worlds and Sims. But, in my opinion, these worlds and Sims are still worth checking, and it can’t be denied that they expanded the existing lore of The Sims franchise with these towns’ and Sims’ stories. Special thanks to Josef for sharing their list with us.

Originally published on the Retro Corner section of SimmedUp Magazine (November 2021).

An Introduction to The Sims (PC) Timeline