The Jerma985 Dollhouse (or simply The Dollhouse) was a livestreamed event created by American streamer Jerma985 that ran between August 18 and 21, 2021.[1] The event took place between three separate livestreams, broadcast on Jerma's Twitch page.[2] The event was modeled after life simulation game franchise The Sims.[2][3] In the event, the stream viewers were given control over what Jerma does, through the ability to make decisions using a stream extension.[4][5] The event used status bars—a mechanic from The Sims—that displayed Jerma's needs, such as hygiene and energy.[5] The status bars affected the outcomes of the decisions made by the viewers.[4] Viewers could also choose the location for new furniture additions to the Dollhouse.[6]
| The Jerma985 Dollhouse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by | Jerma985 |
| Based on | The Sims |
| Directed by | Alex Herreid |
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Jacob Komar |
| Running time | 8.5 hr (507 min) |
| Production company | JK Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | Twitch |
| Release | August 18 – August 21, 2021 |
Production and set
editThe stream was noted for its production value in comparison to most Twitch streams.[3] The set included multiple rooms and a front yard, and the production comprised a crew of about 35 people.[2] With each stream, new rooms were added to the set, as well as more characters.[6] The event's planning took place over seven months.[1] The exact cost of production is unknown, but it required a sponsorship from Coinbase and was more expensive than Jerma985's previous interactive stream, which cost $40,000 to produce.[6]
Streams
editThe event was first announced on August 3, 2021.[4] The first stream, dubbed the "tutorial",[7] took place on August 18, 2021, and lasted three hours.[4] At the start of the stream, viewers were able to pick Jerma's outfit.[5][7] The stream reached over 600,000 live viewers.[4] The second stream took place on August 20, 2021, at 3pm EST.[4] The third and final stream occurred on August 21, 2021, at 12pm EST.[4]
Reception
editPC Gamer called Jerma's acting "charming and personable".[5] GameRant described the stream as absurdist comedy, and noted the stream's high production value, calling it a "high-quality stream".[3] Uproxx compared the stream to The Truman Show, and wrote "while The Sims streams have always been a pretty solid staple on Twitch, this unique take on it certainly feels like a first for the site".[7] The Glasgow Guardian described the event as "a psychedelic fever dream of improv comedy brought to astounding new heights by inclusion of its interactive aspect".[1] Study Breaks wrote, "It's difficult to imagine another livestream surpassing the ambition and surprising success of The Jerma985 Dollhouse."[6] They praised the interactivity of the audience and the cohesiveness of the plot that continued between streams.[6]
Awards and nominations
edit| Ceremony | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Streamer Awards | 2022 | Best Streamed Event | Won | [8] |
References
edit- ^ a b c "In a Dollhouse: The ethics of playing with Twitch streamers' lives". The Glasgow Guardian. October 22, 2021. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ a b c Diaz, Ana (August 23, 2021). "A Twitch streamer let people control his life like The Sims, including when he peed". Polygon. Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Twitch Streamer Jerma985 is Playing a Weird Version of IRL Sims". Game Rant. August 21, 2021. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Twitch Streamer Jerma985 Recreates The Sims in Real Life in New Twitch Event". pastemagazine.com. August 19, 2021. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Mollie Taylor (August 19, 2021). "IRL Sims stream controlled by viewers goes as well as you'd expect". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "The Future of Livestreaming Revolves Around Interactivity". Study Breaks. March 16, 2022. Archived from the original on March 16, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Twitch Streamer Jerma Is Letting Fans Control Him In 'Sims' Streams". Uproxx. August 20, 2021. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ "The Streamer Awards Full Winners List". Game Rant. March 13, 2022. Archived from the original on March 14, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.