The Sims franchise has always been about building your dream life in a virtual world, but when it comes to diversity, the games have been somewhat lackluster. Electronic Arts, the developer behind the Sims games, is hoping to change that with a couple of new updates. What does EA have in the works and why is this representation so important in the gaming community?
Diversity in Sims
Starting in October, EA committed itself to improving the diversity options in one of it’s signature games. To start, they improved their in-game generation to remove blotchy artifacts and fix the sometimes ashy appearance that often accompanied darker skin tones, especially on higher-end machines. This update rolled out on PC and Mac on October 6th, and for console players on November 10th.
While this is a step in the right direction for the game’s existing options, it’s not enough, which is why EA is making more changes this December.
Sliders Are A Better Option
EA’s December update is another exciting step in the right direction, at least where diversity is concerned. The developer is adding more than 100 more skin tones, with emphasis on darker tones. Instead of giving you set colors to choose from, they’re providing sliders to make it easier to get the perfect skin tone for your virtual self. Makeup options are also changing, with sliders available to make it easier to get the perfect look.
It isn’t a perfect solution. They’re adding a lot of new skin tones and makeup options but only two new hair styles. Currently, to get a greater variety of natural hair styles and skin tones, mods are the only option. This means that it’s only an option for PC and Mac players because there’s no mod support for consoles.
Diversity in Gaming
EA isn’t the only developer trying to make a change, but when it comes down to it, there’s a distinct lack of diversity in video games. It’s an industry that is primarily dominated by white men, and it’s been repeatedly noted that the entire industry is rife with racism and sexism. Studies show that the lack of in-game diversity has all sorts of negative impacts similar to what you might experience with everyday racism.
Looking Toward the Future
The push for diversity isn’t a fad or a trend or some attempt to ensure that token individuals are added to developer staff. It is a movement that will continue to shape the gaming industry for years to come. Everyone wants to see themselves represented in the fictional worlds that they enjoy. EA’s update for the Sims 4 is just one step in the right direction.