The Sims 2
The Sims 2 is a 2004 social simulation video game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the second major title in The Sims series, and is the sequel to The Sims. The game was released for Microsoft Windows on September 14, 2004, and a port for MacOS by Aspyr was released on June 17, 2005. Eight expansion packs and nine "stuff packs" were subsequently released between 2005 and 2008. In addition, versions of The Sims 2 were released on various video game consoles, including the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo DS, and GameCube, and mobile platforms, including the Nokia Ovi Store. Unlike the original, the handheld and console versions are more storyline-based. The three handheld versions of the game are completely different among themselves, unlike the home console versions of the game, which are virtually identical to each other. A sequel, The Sims 3, was released in June 2009.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA, read 5 September 2026.
Your like matters. Every heart nudges this game's GamingPickz Score and where it ranks (a small 5% of the score), so the lists get better for everyone.
- Released
- 2004
- Developer
- Maxis
- Platforms
- 7 systems
- Critics
- Not scored
- Steam Deck
- Unknown
- Download
- Not stated
The record
| First released | 16 September 2004 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Maxis |
| Publisher | Aspyr, Electronic Arts |
| Platforms | Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation Portable, PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo DS, Steam Deck |
| Genres | Simulation |
Source. Catalogue facts from Wikidata Q182771, seeded 30 August 2026.
How long is The Sims 2? How long to beat it
Total play time for The Sims 2 is about 108.6 hours to do everything, and around 25.6 hours to reach the end of the main story. These are player-submitted times from HowLongToBeat, not our own, shown with the number of players behind each.
| How you play | Hours | Players logged |
|---|---|---|
| Just the main story: straight through the critical path | 25.6h | 76 |
| Main + the extras: story plus the side content most people do | 46.5h | 48 |
| Completionist: everything: 100% the game | 108.6h | 16 |
Source: HowLongToBeat community submissions, read 2026-10-19.
Where The Sims 2 sits on the grid
The grid places every game in the catalogue on measured axes rather than on an opinion. This is where The Sims 2 lands on each map it has the data for, with the share of the catalogue it beats on each axis.
- Year
- 66ahead of 18% of the catalogue
- Reach
- 75ahead of 99% of the catalogue
Percentiles are against the games that carry a reading on that axis, not the whole catalogue: counting a game with no figure as a zero would flatter everything that has one. How the grid works.
What readers say about The Sims 2
Reviews written by people who have played it. These are separate from the GamingPickz Score and are never averaged into it: that score comes from thousands of Steam reviews with a sample-size correction, and a handful of unverified ratings would distort it rather than improve it.
Loading reviews…
Did it run on your PC?
Tell other players how it ran on your machine. One tap, from your saved PC if you have one.
Where The Sims 2 appears
The ranked lists and finder pages The Sims 2 qualifies for, from its own genre and platform to what it takes to run.
Get the weekly rundown
One email a week: what moved in the rankings, what launched, and what dropped in price. No more than that, and unsubscribing takes one click.
We send the weekly email and nothing else. Your address is never sold, shared or used to build a profile, and it is not readable by anyone visiting this site. See our privacy policy.
Part of the The Sims series
The Sims 2 is one of 4 The Sims games we track. See the whole series ranked by the GamingPickz Score, plotted on the grid, and listed in release order:
The Sims 2 head to head
See The Sims 2 compared side by side, on score, price, specs and more:
Common questions about The Sims 2
What platforms is The Sims 2 on?
The Sims 2 is available on Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation Portable, PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo DS, Steam Deck. It first released in 2004.
Who made The Sims 2?
The Sims 2 was developed by Maxis and published by Aspyr, Electronic Arts.
How long does it take to beat The Sims 2?
about 25.6 hours for the main story, 46.5 hours with the main extras, 108.6 hours to complete everything, from HowLongToBeat's player-submitted times. These are community medians, so your own run may be shorter or longer.