‘Sims 4’ Includes Gender Identity In Immersion Update

“The Sims” series of games has always tried to provide players with a way to imitate real life in every respect, from creating jobs to creating families for the sake of immersion. The latest update to the “Sims 4” title adds yet another milestone in Electronic Arts’ (EA) effort to be inclusive, by removing gender restrictions in the game.

The update was announced by the development team via an official blog post and it has to do with the game’s “Create A Sim” mode. The feature is meant to allow players to create any Sim that they like, customizing their size, color, voice pitch, and so on. However, it wasn’t until the latest update that the created Sims were allowed to wear whatever the player wanted and given the identity that they preferred.

“For the first time, you'll be able to customize your Sims without the gender boundaries previously set in place,” the team wrote in the post. “This means you can now create Sims with any type of physique, walk style, and tone of voice you choose – regardless of their gender.”

As noted by the International Business Times, this update significantly expands the immersion and connection that players feel when they are playing the game. This helps the Sims franchise achieve their goal of imitating real life in every respect, including all the major social issues that can be complex and difficult to discuss.

EA will also be releasing “The Sims 4 Dine Out Pack” on June 7, which allows players to take on the role of restaurant owners. They will be able to run their restaurants as they see fit, populate it with people that they made, and give the place a touch of their own personalities. Even with the buzz generated by this pack, though, the gender-restriction removal update is drawing all the attention.