Los simuladores

The series draws influence from the 1949 play 'Los árboles mueren de pie' by Alejandro Casona, as well as from Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, Mission: Impossible, and films like Casablanca, The Sting, and The Godfather.

The philosophy behind the team's methods can also be traced to Agatha Christie's book 'Parker Pyne Investigates.'

The show shares thematic elements with American 1980s series such as Stingray, The A-Team, Vengeance Unlimited, and The Equalizer.

The series won the Golden Martín Fierro Award in 2002 from the Asociación de Periodistas de la Televisión y la Radiofonía Argentinas (APTRA), and it is often cited as 'the best Argentine series of all time.'

Due to its success, four international remakes were produced: in Chile (Canal 13, 2005 and 2010), Spain (Cuatro, 2006–2007, with original star Federico D'Elía reprising his role), Mexico (Televisa), and Russia (titled 'Короли игры' / 'Kings of the Game').

In March 2022, a feature film sequel was announced for release in 2024 through theaters and Paramount+, with the original cast (D'Elía, Fiore, Peretti, Seefeld) returning and creator Damián Szifron set to write and direct.

The film project suffered repeated delays: pushed to 2025, then to 2026, reportedly due to budget problems at Argentina's INCAA film institute, the streaming industry's oversaturation crisis affecting Paramount+, and the country's political and cultural climate; in September 2025, D'Elía finally confirmed the film would not be made.

Paramount Global, the parent company behind Paramount+, was reportedly undergoing a serious crisis leading to the shutdown of its television production division and merger talks with HBO Max, which affected the film's financing.