Summary
- The success of The Sims franchise lies in its customization options and the ability for players to shape virtual characters' lives.
- The Landgraab family, one of the game's legacy families, has a mysterious and wealthy history that is of interest to many players.
- The Landgraabs' power and wealth come from various sources, including the Landgraab Power Company, criminal activities, and monopolization of real estate and businesses in SimCity 3000.
The Sims franchise is a pioneer life simulator, giving players the creative freedom to shape a virtual character's life from scratch. Its success is rooted in its ability to enrapture fans with a wide selection of customization options in its buildings, letting gamers' imaginations run wild as they build their dream home, store, or even a horse ranch in Sims 4's latest DLC. The characters in the Sims world also play a crucial role in the franchise's success, each having unique quirks and interests mimicking real life in a cute Simlish fashion. One particular group of characters -- the Landgraabs -- are a source of interest for most players, as the origin of their massive family fortune is shrouded in mystery.
The Sims has a few legacy families that have been present in the franchise since its early days, from the irresistible Calientes to the secretive morose Goths. To better understand the complexities in the relationships in these families, developer Maxis has equipped them with bits of lore ranging from wholesome to scandalous. The superlatively wealthy Landgraabs, one of The Sims' legacy families, pique the interests of players concerned with how to make money without cheats, and the history of their illustrious wealth goes deeper than most would imagine at first glance.
The Landgraabs Have a History of Lavish
Veteran Sims players will remember the maiden appearance of the Landgraabs in SimCity 3000, where the family name was on billboards all over the city. The family has maintained their hold on high status in the latest installment, and it is practically impossible to live a life in The Sims 4 without enriching the powerhouse dynasty. Every household gets a charge of power and water bills weekly, and this payment goes to Landgraab Power Company, owned by the family as the name implies. It's only natural to wonder how the household attained its dominance, and their official description in Sims 4 tells of a secret that threatens to tear the family apart.
Tracing through Sims history, the Landgraabs have always been an influential household, from their warring ancestors Demetrius and Dacian in The Sims Medieval: Pirates and Nobles to the chance card mention of Gregory Landgraab's fortune in The Sims 2: Seasons. The Sims 2 Open for Business Expansion Pack introduced players to Malcolm Landgraab IV, the owner of Club Dante and the Electronics Supercenter, living in a massive mansion in Bluewater Village. In the canonical timeline starting from The Sims 3, Nancy is the house scion - a Vice President with ambitions of becoming the CEO of Mega Corporation.
She usually gets the position over her rival, Nick Alto, and while the Sims 4 timeline differs significantly from its predecessor, it gives some insight into the source of the family's wealth trove. The family's liquid assets in the latest Sims installment are far from impressive, although their Oasis Springs residence contains quite a few valuable items, and their ownership of the Power Company and the school show their influence in the game. Nancy Landgraab has a criminal career as a Minor Crimelord - an indication that at least some of the household's power lies in the world of crime, even though her husband Geoffrey is a Secret Agent.
This contrast in professions could be the secret threatening the dynasty, as husband and wife operate on opposite sides of the law. Another clue of the source of the Landgraabs' wealth lies in their name, a joined variant of land grabbing, and this shows in their monopolization of real estate and businesses in SimCity 3000 -- having a vast portfolio of land ownership rights. The Sims 4 may not have revealed property owners, but there's some suspicion that the buildings in San Myshuno and other worlds are owned by the Landgraabs, in addition to the Power Company and Copperdale High. Whatever the case may be, the Landgraab family has no equal in status in The Sims 4, and their imprints are in every corner of the Sims world.
The Sims 5 is in development.