The Sims 2 is a strategic life simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the sequel to the best-selling computer game to date, The Sims.[3] It was released on September 17, 2004 and sold a then-record one million copies in its first ten days.[4] Along with the core game, Electronic Arts has released six expansion packs and seven stuff packs. Mark Mothersbaugh composed the music. The game 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.[5]