The Sims 2 is the sequel to the best-selling computer game, The Sims, which debuted on December 14, 2000. It was released on September 17, 2004; becoming an instant success, having sold a then-record one million copies in its first ten days. Along with the core game, Electronic Arts has released six expansion packs and seven stuff packs. Mark Mothersbaugh composed the music for the game.

The Sims 2 generally follows the same concept as The Sims. The players control their Sims, as they interact with their virtual surroundings, engaging in various different activities and forming relationships in a manner similar to real life. Like its predecessor, The Sims 2 does not have a defined final goal; gameplay is open-ended. They do, however, have life goals, wants and fears, the fulfillment of which can have good or bad effects. There is also a wide-range of cheats to be used. All Sims age, and generally live up to sixty five Sim days, if the controller treats their Sim well.

The Sims 2 builds on its predecessor by allowing Sims, the simulated human characters, to age through six stages of life and incorporating a more powerful 3D graphics engine. As of July 2007, the base game has sold more than 13 million units worldwide, making it the 2nd best selling PC game of all time, only behind the original The Sims. A sequel, The Sims 3, was announced in November 2006 by EA to be released sometime in 2009.