Will Wright is the big brain behind The Sims and the upcoming Spore, a video game which signifies a paradigm shift in how games are conceived, built, presented, and considered.

My feature interview with Wright is in the latest edition of the Georgia Straight.

Will Wright isn’t your average video-game designer, and his newest title, Spore, isn’t your everyday game. Set for release on Sunday (September 7), the game gives players power over nature and asks them to make use of the tools of evolution. It’s expected to turn the video-game industry upside down with its unique blend of simulation, gaming, and social networking.

Also in the Straight as part of my “Trigger Happy” column is a preview of Spore.

Since EA released the Creature Creator, over three million creatures have been created and uploaded to the Sporepedia, an on-line repository that is a focal point of the growing Spore community. If the full version is half as compelling as the Creature Creator, it will be one of the most successful video games ever released.