Except for EA (that bought Maxis) Sim games were never big on AAA market. For example Roller Coaster Tycoon was created by a single guy, that made the game in

Except for EA (that bought Maxis) Sim games were never big on AAA market. For example Roller Coaster Tycoon was created by a single guy, that made the game in Assembly (yes, almost 100% of RCT1 is ASM), he ended getting "publishers" in the sense they sold the game for him, but the game is still his.