When looking back at the history of gaming, there is an existence that has quietly but surely left its footprints in the shadows of the times. SIMS Co., Ltd. — even among game fans, only a few might immediately recognize the name. However, this company has actually been at the forefront of the game industry since its birth in 1991. Its founding was the result of the strong shared vision between SEGA Enterprises and Mamoru Shigeta, the former president of Sanritsu Denki. At its inception, SEGA held about 70% of the investment, making the company something of an alter ego for SEGA. This is why, from the Mega Drive era through to the Dreamcast, SIMS has maintained its own unique approach to game creation while deeply inheriting the DNA of SEGA.

In 1997, it became 100% owned by SEGA. In other words, it became a wholly owned subsidiary, and its position evolved more clearly into a ”core development division of SEGA.” However, the interesting part starts there. In 2000, a ported version of the PlayStation title Maboroshi Tsukiyo, developed by SIMS, was released. At that time, SEGA was still in a head-to-head battle with its rival, Sony. A very rare phenomenon occurred where a wholly owned subsidiary of SEGA was developing a game for the PlayStation. This episode perfectly symbolizes the flexibility and uniqueness of SIMS. Their passion for ”creating interesting games,” transcending corporate boundaries, was their greatest weapon.

One of their representative works is OutRun-2019 for the Mega Drive. As a title connected to the classic racing game OutRun series, it is a game that fuses a sense of high speed with a futuristic world view. Many fans were captivated by the production and sense of speed unique to home consoles, which differed from the arcade version. And we must not forget Maboroshi Tsukiyo on the Dreamcast. Highly regarded for its fantastic and delicate world view and deep storytelling, it remains a work talked about among certain fans to this day. They are not the type of company to churn out flashy blockbusters, but they have quietly continued to create works that stay in the hearts of those who play them — that is SIMS.

In 2004, the company achieved complete independence from SEGA, and today, as a company headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, it develops businesses diversely, including development, sales, and staffing. Even after shedding the title of being under SEGA's umbrella, its technical capabilities and development sense remain strong. If anything, one can feel their confidence in being able to ”create interesting things even without the SEGA brand.” Their perspective from watching the industry for many years and the know-how cultivated through many projects are likely still being utilized in next-generation game creation.

If you were to describe SIMS in one phrase, it would be a ”quiet group of craftsmen.” They rarely grab big headlines, but their attitude of steadily and sincerely facing game creation shines through. Their journey, walking alongside the evolution of home game consoles since the Mega Drive era, can truly be called an existence that supported the backside of Japanese game culture. If you see the name ”Developer: SIMS” in a game you play from now on, it is surely a carefully crafted title. With such expectations in mind, I hope you will experience their works.