The Sims Stories is a series of video games from The Sims series released between 2007 and 2008 based on a modified version of The Sims 2 game engine. The modified game engine is optimized for play on systems with weaker specifications such as laptops. As such its system requirements are lower than that of The Sims 2 but it can still be played on desktops. The series was aimed to cater to three groups of players: players who wish to play The Sims 2 on their laptops (which usually have lower specifications); players who wish to engage in other activities such as instant messaging while playing the game; and players who are new to the franchise. Titles in this series are categorized as "laptop-friendly" since they do not require a dedicated graphic card.