![A pre-release key art render for The Sims 3 shows a lively street with such features as a ghost, a house fire, a bin diver, and warring neighbours, as a male Sim in the foreground looks into the camera with an ironic expression.](https://assetsio.gnwcdn.com/the-sims-3-key-art.jpg?width=320&height=180&fit=crop&quality=80&format=jpg&auto=webp)
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IMITATION OF LIFE | For better or worse, The Sims 3 set the standard for modern life sims
15 years on, The Sims 3's ambition has left an impressive legacy, but so has its aggressive embracing of what it means for games to be always-online.