PCG Article EA says LGBTQIA+ identities 'are a fact of life, not a toggle to be switched on and off' in The Sims

[ZedClampet]

A handful of Sims 4 players asked for a toggle to turn off the new sexual orientation options, but EA said no.

After reading the article, this is the second time in a month I've been convinced that EA is addressing fake complaints to make itself look better. Even if the complaints are real, they admit it's just a handful of players out of 33 million. There's probably more players complaining that the game is transmitting their thoughts to the FBI. But never mind that, the glorious Angel of Light, EA, is here to save the day.

 

[DXCHASE]

Yea but all companies do this kind of stuff I feel.

 

[Slasken]

Did you read the comments on that article? People love to complain when choices like this are put into games, even people that don't play the game.

 

[Brian Boru]

the glorious Angel of Light, EA

Nearly—EA = Electric Angel.

all companies do this kind of stuff

Indeed, I'd be amazed if that whole approach didn't go thru reams of legal and PR layers.

People love to complain when choices like this are put into games, even people that don't play the game

Oh yeah, it's an obvious lightning rod, one among dozens these days. I'll stay consistent with my previous statement:
Options are a Good Thing!

 

[Zloth]

I just read the headline of that one. Quick reaction: death is a fact of life, not a toggle to be switched on and off. Ironman for everyone!

 

[Pifanjr]

I don't get the title. The new options don't change the game if you just don't touch them. They don't add more LGBTQIA+ content. as all Sims were able to have relationships with any other Sim anyway. If anything, you can now specify your own Sim is absolutely hetero.

 

[ZedClampet]

Did you read the comments on that article? People love to complain when choices like this are put into games, even people that don't play the game.

No one that I saw was actually complaining about this. Most of the people who complained didn't read the article and were complaining that LGBTQ were added to the game.

 

[Frindis]

Isn't there a modding community in The Sims? You would think something like that would be possible to toggle off or on regardless of what EA says. You can have body alter/bone modifications in Skyrim, and underground sex caves in Fallout 4 and you are able to change the body proportions of any Mass Effect character. If a handful of people are complaining about this, then I'm sure they can learn how to make a mod and mold the game to their liking.

 

[Ryzengang]

This is obviously a hot button issue, so I won't say much, but I'd have to agree with EA here. While I generally agree with @Brian Boru that options are always great, I don't really see the need here. The presence of additional sexual orientation choices don't negatively impact anyone and is more inclusive. Don't really see a downside to it. I do ultimately agree with @ZedClampet, though, that this has to be a really small minority of people complaining about this, and I'd guess most people really don't care.

 

[SleepingDog]

This is obviously a hot button issue, so I won't say much, but I'd have to agree with EA here. While I generally agree with @Brian Boru that options are always great, I don't really see the need here. The presence of additional sexual orientation choices don't negatively impact anyone and is more inclusive. Don't really see a downside to it. I do ultimately agree with @ZedClampet, though, that this has to be a really small minority of people complaining about this, and I'd guess most people really don't care.

Totally agree with the principle mentioned above. Non-heterosexuals are gamers - why not have characters they can relate to?

[Think I will go and read the article now!!!]

 

[ipman]

It's interesting because there is a whole genre of games that generally mirror reality. Now and in the future.

And the way people are depicted is usually progressive.

So I don't know if EA are involved in PR, but you always get a few, usually vocal complainers on many game's forums if humans and human relationships are depicted generally as they are.

I took a female character to seduce a female informer in WD's Legion and she turned me down. It's interesting how each game plays with the characters and relationships.

 

[WoodenSaucer]

Totally agree with the principle mentioned above. Non-heterosexuals are gamers - why not have characters they can relate to?

[Think I will go and read the article now!!!]

Not that I care one way or the other (for multiple reasons, like I'll never play the game), but your logic here is kind of faulty. If they defaulted to including LGBTQ, but put a setting in for someone to turn that off if they wanted to, it wouldn't make any difference at all to the non-heterosexuals who want to play it. It would default to them being able to have characters they can relate to. It's a single player game, so it's not like people are going to be turning you off against your will.

 

[Colif]

Quick reaction: death is a fact of life, not a toggle to be switched on and off. Ironman for everyone!

Why can't it be an option, I might want to be immortal...

I don't care what they do, The Sims is the last game I am likely to play, why simulate a life when you can live your own?
ARPG are , I guess, sort of life sims too... but well, its not legal to go kill people so I guess there is the difference there. Not many demons in real life.
EA can add all they like while they distract from how much won't be in the base game of the next version, as they try to figure out how to make every item in the game into an NFT. To sell to on the shop... cause the pattern of removal of features to charge you for them later is reaching point there won't be a game in the pack, just a launcher to the shop.

 

[SleepingDog]

Not that I care one way or the other (for multiple reasons, like I'll never play the game), but your logic here is kind of faulty. If they defaulted to including LGBTQ, but put a setting in for someone to turn that off if they wanted to, it wouldn't make any difference at all to the non-heterosexuals who want to play it. It would default to them being able to have characters they can relate to. It's a single player game, so it's not like people are going to be turning you off against your will.

It appears that "WooHooing" is not gender specific in the "no option" game but the options give you the ability to alter this. So you can declare that you are homosexual, bisexual or heterosexual and I think you can remove romance all together. Other options are not included because the code is old (and would probably cost too much to alter).

It's probably nice to not get unwanted attention which is what you can do in the game with the options. Probably not like real life but this is a computer game not a lesson on real life.