Paralives, an indie life simulation game developed by Paralives Studio, entered Steam early access in May 2026 and sold 250,000 copies within eight hours, peaking at 78,603 concurrent players—close to The Sims 4's all-time high of 96,328 in 2022. The game offers a creative, community-driven alternative to The Sims, which has faced ethical concerns following EA's $55bn buyout by a consortium including Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund PIF.
What is Paralives?
Paralives is a life simulation game where players control virtual people called Parafolk, customizing characters with adjustable hair, skin tones, height, body shapes, and features like cellulite, freckles, birthmarks, and medical aids such as hearing aids. The game emphasizes body inclusivity and representation, including hijabs, which are still unavailable in The Sims without mods.
Building tools allow items to be placed almost anywhere, with adjustable height, length, and width. Players can edit text on items like gravestones and doormats, upload images into picture frames, and access a decor section for medical clutter including wheelchairs and sign language books.
Art Style and Gameplay
Paralives features a heavily shaded, comic-book style animation reminiscent of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which may not appeal to everyone but suits its quirky gameplay. The game includes absurd details like buttering bread, frying eggs, a secret town hall maze, and random meteor showers, harking back to the charm of The Sims 2 and The Sims 3. In contrast, Inzoi feels sterile, and The Sims has gradually reduced such oddball features.
Ethical Alternative to The Sims
Paralives' release coincided with EA's 2025 buyout by Silver Lake, Affinity Partners (led by Jared Kushner), and Saudi Arabia's PIF, controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The deal sparked boycotts among The Sims' LGBTQ+ community over Saudi Arabia's human rights record and fears about queer content. Additionally, recent The Sims expansion packs, costing £35 each, have been criticized for lacking content.
Paralives is developed by an independent studio funded via Patreon, raising nearly $40,000 monthly from 9,000 patrons. The team of about 15 people prices the game at £33.50, with future content like seasons, pets, and gardening offered as free updates—unlike The Sims 4's paid expansions. According to the developer's roadmap, all updates will be free.
While Paralives is still in early access and may feel rough, its community focus and whimsical details offer a return to the player-owned spirit of earlier Sims titles. It is available for PC and Mac on Steam.
