Map › About
The story behind Sim World
A living, SimCity-style map of the world where the buildings belong to real businesses. Claim a block from $1, put your logo on it, and watch it grow.
A Super Nintendo, one game and a full map
I'm Rhys Adams. I was born in the early '80s, and I've been a geek for as long as I can remember - computers, programming, gadgets, the lot.
As a kid, all I wanted was a Super Nintendo, and there was only one game I wanted for it: SimCity. I'd play it for hours, laying roads, zoning blocks and watching towns grow, until the map was completely full. Then I'd sit and work out how I could make it better.
So I built Sim World
Sim World is that same idea, grown up. This time I'm not the one building the cities - real companies are. Every block, landmark, airport, power station, tree, train, bus, ferry and plane on the map can be claimed by a business, which puts its logo or photograph on it and makes it theirs.
Every spot starts at just $1. If someone wants it more, they can outbid you at one and a half times the price, and the building gains another floor. So the busiest, most fought-over places really do become the skyscrapers of the map.
What you get when you claim a spot
- Your brand on the map - your logo or photo on top of your building, seen by everyone exploring the map, riding a bus, train or plane past it, or hunting for treasure.
- A link to your website - one tap from your building to your site (clearly marked as a sponsored link - more on that here).
- Your own bulletin board - post a short news update every day: offers, openings, hiring. It shows on your listing and in the live ticker along the bottom of the map.
- Real numbers - see how many people visited your spot and clicked through to your website.
- Your supporter page - a page listing every spot you hold or have held, with your socials, ready to share.
- Local pride - take the spot in your own town before your competitors do. And if you are outbid, you stay on the spot's history for good.
Explore the map and claim your spot Browse towns and cities
Here for the long run
The sim.theworld.bid domain has been registered for 10 years and the hosting has been paid in advance for the same period, so Sim World will stay live until at least 2036. When you buy a spot, it is not going to disappear next month.
Who's behind it
Rhys Adams · Derbyshire, England · rhysadams.co.uk · @rhysadams on X
I run a few companies: Cocoon Vehicles, Forklift Agency and Creative Filter (also known as High Heel Creative), which designed and built Sim World. I love coming up with ideas - most of them to help other people, and the odd one, like this, that also helps support my family. You can read more about me and my other projects on my website.
Questions, ideas or a business you think should be on the map? Email hello@theworld.bid or message me on X at @rhysadams.
How it works
- Pick a spot - blocks in 6,000+ towns and cities in 200+ countries around the world, plus airports, power stations, landmarks, trees and vehicles.
- Claim it from $1 - the first buyer pays $1. Every outbid raises the price by half and adds a floor.
- Show your logo - your square logo or photo sits on top of the building and links to your site.
- Keep your history - your supporter page lists everything you own or have owned.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sim World?
Sim World is an interactive, SimCity-style map of the world, split into 58 regional maps. Brands buy residential, commercial and industrial blocks in more than 6,000 towns and cities, plus landmarks, airports, trees, cars, trains, planes, ferries and boats. Every spot starts at $1 and each outbid raises the price by half and adds a storey
How much does it cost?
Every spot starts at $1. Each time someone outbids, the price goes up by half (1.5 times, rounded up to the nearest 5¢): $1, then $1.50, $2.25, $3.40, $5.10 and so on. A spot that has already been sold can be bought again at the next price.
What happens when I am outbid?
The new owner takes the spot, you are emailed, and you stay listed in the spot's list of previous tenants and on your supporter page forever. The building also gains another layer, growing towards a skyscraper.
Who can advertise?
Most legal businesses, charities and creators. We do not accept adult, illegal, scam or hateful content. Licensed gambling brands may be allowed if they carry safer-gambling messages. See the site rules.
How are payments handled?
Payments are processed securely by Stripe (cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay where available). Prices shown are the full price - we take Stripe processing fees into account, so there are no surcharges.
How long will the site be live?
The sim.theworld.bid domain has been registered for 10 years and the hosting has been paid in advance for the same period, so Sim World will stay live until at least 2036. Your listing stays on the map for as long as you hold the spot.
Is the map accurate?
We have tried to recreate the world as faithfully as we can, but the map is a simplified, stylised illustration on a grid of roughly 5 km squares, so towns, landmarks, roads and railways are approximate and some are moved slightly to fit. It is not for navigation.
Can I get a refund?
No. All purchases are final and non-refundable, because your listing goes live straight away and stays until someone outbids you. The only exception is if two people pay for the same spot at the same moment: the second payment is returned automatically, because we cannot deliver it.
How do I log in?
There are no passwords. Enter the email address you bought with and we email you a one-time login link that works for 15 minutes. Once logged in you can edit your name, website, description, social links and logo, or remove your listing.
What details do you need from me?
Your company name, website and email address. A logo, short description, X and Instagram handles and a WhatsApp number are optional. Everything except your email address is shown publicly on your listing.
What is a bulletin?
Owners can post a short piece of news on their spot - up to 160 characters, no links, once a day. Bulletins appear on the spot, on the city page and in the news ticker on the map, and stay for as long as you hold the spot.
Is this a good way to get a backlink?
It is a quick and easy way to get a permanent, crawlable link to your website from a page about your brand. Because listings are paid, links are marked rel="sponsored" as Google requires, so treat it as visibility and referral traffic rather than a ranking trick. See our backlinks page.
Can I edit my listing?
Yes. Log in with your email (no password needed) to change your name, link, description and logo, or remove your listing.
Who runs Sim World?
Sim World is created and run by Rhys Adams (@rhysadams on X) and designed by High Heel Creative.