Re:How about some cons? (Score 1)

The issue with being addicted to a game that perhaps has educational potential is that the Sims in its current state is more of an addictive game than it would be a learning tool. It is likely that many more hours will be spent on the Sims due to the enjoyment of playing rather than learning the language (which will not necessarily mean that the language level of the gamer will increase, the correlation between the two remains unknown). If the sims becomes a part of a corriculum, I assure you it will be the favorite part and take time away from more boring yet more efficient methods.

To provide a perhaps more pertinent example, lets take MMORPGs as examples. They are able to teach social skills like teamwork and such, but are those the reasons that keep people tuned in for countless days? No, its the sheer enjoyment of mindless progress that those games allow (and I am not bashing MMOs, I play them too.) The same exact issue arises with the Sims. Although it could potentially teach you the basics of the language, it will be more likely to become an addiction not because of that fact, but because it's a fun game.