Menu Menu
[gtranslate]

The Sims 4’s latest update adds new diverse cosmetics

Last year, the game collaborated with two LGBTQ+ organisations on a feature enabling players to explore a fuller range of sexual and romantic identities. In a bid to promote even more inclusivity, its character creator now offers top surgery scars, binders, medical wearables, and more.Β 

Ever since The Sims burst onto the scene over 20 years ago, it’s remained one of the most iconic PC games out there.

To date, the EA franchise has sold nearly 200m copies worldwide, its fourth edition alone boasting 33 million players and counting.

This profound success can be attributed to two factors, besides becoming free-to-play in October last year.

For starters, who doesn’t enjoy free rein to exist in a world entirely of their own making?

Allowing people to experience things they may never have the opportunity to in real life, The Sims’ flexible form of play and likeness to conducting a social experiment on virtual beings is what’s allowed it to maintain its unwavering popularity among users – despite a rapidly changing video game landscape.

Secondly, its developers have always been quick to engage with the ongoing demands of the vocal Sims community, especially with regards to diversity.

Lauded as a game of self-expression, the Sims has long been LGBTQ+ friendly and has, throughout the past couple of decades, made a conscious effort to foster a welcoming environment for absolutely everyone.

β€˜We constantly question each other about how to make our features or designs more broad, more inclusive,’ says executive producer, Lyndsay Pearson.

β€˜We challenge ourselves to learn about cultures besides our own.’

In 2016, EA increased gender limitations, letting players create characters without a fixed gender.

Can You Be Gay in The Sims 4? - Gayming Magazine

In The Sims 3, gay Sims could marry – a feature added far before same-sex marriage legislation passed anywhere in the US.

In 2019, the Island Living expansion introduced Pride-themed clothing, options for building gender-neutral bathrooms, and the series’ first premade non-binary character.

During that same year, EA collaborated with LGBTQ+ organisations GLAAD and the It Gets Better Project on new customisation scales for players keen to explore a fuller range of sexual and romantic identities.

And, just this week, The Sims 4 unveiled its most inclusive update yet.

β€˜A base game update is here with new content including medical wearables, binders, shapewear, and more,’ it announced on social media.

The Sims new updates - top surgery, binders and more

β€˜Under the Body category, all players can find a Body Scars category with an option for Teen and older male Sims (masculine or feminine frame) to add a top surgery scar to their Sims,’ expands a break down on the game’s official website.

The latter – which is expressly targeted at trans Simmers in an effort to make them feel visible – is what’s got people most amped up.

It marks the first time Create a Sim has included such overt and unequivocal physical indicators of trans identities on characters’ bodies.

β€˜I finally get to see myself in game,’ someone tweetedΒ in all caps.

β€˜Top surgery scars and binders?! That’s so cool,’ exclaimedΒ another. β€˜So happy more representation is being added to the game.’

According to Mashable, gender-affirming clothing items have also been added.

These options are often used by transgender and non-binary people to help them alleviate gender dysphoria.

Even better still, medical wearables will include hearing aids and glucose monitors, but many disabled fans are holding off from rejoicing until wheelchairs are made available.

Regardless, this doesn’t make the additions any less meaningful, allowing players to see themselves at least slightly more accurately portrayed in the popular life simulator.

The hope going forward is that other studios will follow suit, making inclusive representation something worth investing in and implementing in games across the board.

Accessibility