Magazine

Magazines are items Sims can buy on community lots, and can read to increase their interest in a talking about a topic. The Sims 2: FreeTime also has magazines that Sims can subscribe to, and which increase enthusiasm in a hobby.

Magazines and Interests
In The Sims and The Sims 2, magazines that increase a Sim's interests can be bought on community lots. Each magazine has articles on 3 topics.

The Sims
In The Sims, magazines were added in the Hot Date expansion pack. When Sims return home, they will place any magazines they have on available surfaces, but this may not work if the magazine was not bought Downtown. As a Sim reads a magazine, a purplish bar will appear over his or her head. When the bar is full, an interest point has been gained. However, if the action is canceled while the bar is partially full, the game will treat the Sim as if he or she had gained the point, even though that point will not be shown when viewing the Sim's interests. Gaining an interest point in one subject will cause the Sim to lose an interest point in another, but if the bar is low enough when the action is canceled, the Sim may not lose an interest point.

Magazines in The Sims have a limited lifespan and will eventually become trash.

The Sims 2
In The Sims 2, magazines are part of the base game. If the inventory feature is present, they will be kept in inventory, otherwise they will be put somewhere when the Sim returns home. In The Sims 2, there is no progress bar when Sims read magazines, and they gain interest points much quicker than in The Sims. Before having a Sim read about an interest, players should make sure that interest is shown in the information panel, and keep an eye on it as the Sim reads, as that is the only way to track the Sim's progress. After the action is canceled, the Sim will continue to gain interest until he or she actually stops reading, and may gain one or two points during this time. At times, a Sim may simply glance at a magazine, then put it down. This will usually be enough for the Sim to gain an interest point.

In The Sims 2, as in The Sims, gaining an interest point in one subject will cause the Sim to lose an interest point in another.

The Sims

 * The Avarix - Money, Politics, Technology
 * Livin' Large - 60's, Music, Parties
 * MaxSimum - Exercise, Outdoors, Travel
 * Victor's Digest - Food, Sports, Weather
 * WhooNoo - Hollywood, Romance, Style

The Sims 2

 * Beyond Belief - Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Health
 * Highbrow Review - Politics, Culture, Environment
 * Mode:Live - Food, Travel, Weather
 * Rat Race - Crime, Money, Work
 * Superstar Report - Entertainment, Fashion, Sports
 * Young Sims Magazine - Animals, School, Toys

Hobby Magazines
There is a magazine for each of the hobbies. A Sim must reach level 3 enthusiasm to receive a phone call asking if they would like a subscription. If the Sim does not accept the offer, any Sim in the household who has level 3 enthusiasm in that hobby can use the phone to subscribe at any time. Children and young adults who reach level 3 enthusiasm in a hobby will not be offered a subscription, but a child with enough enthusiasm can use the phone to subscribe. Young adults cannot subscribe to the hobby magazines until after they have left college and become adults.

Once a magazine has been subscribed to, any Sim in the household can use the phone to cancel the subscription at any time. Once a hobby magazine has been delivered, any Sim in the household can read it regardless of their level of enthusiasm in that hobby. Reading hobby magazines also builds Fun, and if the Sim's Fun meter is full or nearly full, he or she is likely to pick up the magazine, glance at it, and put it down, which will have little if any effect on enthusiasm.

Hobby magazines can be disposed of by clicking on them and selecting "Clean Up", or by selling them in Buy mode. After about a week, a hobby magazine will take on a worn-out look, after which it can no longer be read. It appears that a hobby magazine's lifespan may also be limited by how much it is read.

Each magazine is delivered on a specific day of the week, along with the newspaper.

The Sims 3
The Sims 3 has no readable magazines, only decor magazines. However, The Sims 3 contains many different books.