Free Base Game Update Idea: Specific Denominations & Life Events⁠

No sane company will add real‑world religions to The Sims. The only time the series ever touched religion was in Sims Medieval, and those were completely fictional faiths worshiping the Watcher (the player). If EA adds Christianity, they’re going to have to add every other religion as well, and that’s a guaranteed controversy storm.

And as soon as you add real religious items, those items can be instantly abused. Sims players can burn objects, curse them, destroy them, or use them in chaos builds. With Spellcasters, someone will immediately make a video of their Sim setting a Bible or the Quran on fire with Inferniate. EA is not going to risk that.

Fictional religions are the only safe option.

"I hear you, but the inclusion of these specific denominations (Catholic, Reformed, Evangelical, Greek Catholic) was a deliberate choice for this concept. They represent distinct architectural styles, rich musical heritage, and unique community roles that would bring incredible diversity and realism to the game.

The goal isn't to push theology, but to give players who want these specific cultural and historical traditions in their game the option to experience them—just like any other life simulator feature. For players who don't want them, they would simply be optional, just like any other pack or update feature!

The problem isn’t architecture or music — it’s that every denomination you listed is still just different branches of Christianity.

If The Sims ever adds religion, it can’t be only Christian denominations. That wouldn’t be “diversity,” it would be Christian‑centric design.

Real diversity means including multiple world religions, not just variations of one. And once you open that door, you have to represent all of them fairly — Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Indigenous religions, folk religions, and more.

That’s exactly why The Sims has always used fictional religions instead: they avoid real‑world conflict, they’re easier to moderate, and they let players enjoy cultural flavor without dragging actual sacred traditions into a sandbox game.

If the goal is cultural variety, fictional faiths inspired by real traditions are the safer and more inclusive option.

I respectfully disagree on using fictional faiths. The Sims 4 already features real-world cultural elements, traditional clothing, and authentic holiday traditions from various cultures around the globe.

Including real world traditions and religions—whether Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or Eastern faiths—brings actual cultural authenticity and representation that players can truly connect with. A complete, all-inclusive update featuring real-world heritage, places of worship, and community roles is what would make the simulator truly authentic!

You didn’t actually address the point I made.

Your original list was four branches of Christianity. That’s not “global cultural authenticity,” that’s just Christianity in different architectural styles.

I say this as someone raised Roman Catholic: the world is a lot bigger than Christianity.

If The Sims ever adds real religions, it can’t start with Christian denominations and call that inclusive. It would have to include Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Indigenous faiths, folk religions, and more — all represented fairly, all with equal depth.

And that’s exactly why The Sims has always used fictional religions when it touches sacred themes. It avoids real‑world conflict, avoids moderation disasters, and avoids treating one religion as the default.

Real diversity means representing the whole world, not just Christianity.

The Sims has already added tiny bits of religious content — Kwanzaa candles and a menorah — and even those were kept extremely minimal.

That’s because once you go beyond symbolic holiday items and start adding actual religious institutions, you’re dealing with real-world sacred traditions inside a sandbox game where Sims can burn, break, curse, or misuse anything.

And again, your original list was four branches of Christianity. If you want “authenticity,” it can’t start with Christianity and pretend that covers global religion. The world is bigger than that — I say this as someone raised Roman Catholic.

If religion ever gets added, it has to include multiple world religions, not just Christian denominations. Otherwise it’s not representation — it’s Christian-centric design.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts so extensively! I’ve already clarified my position and the goal of this concept, so there's really nothing more to add. 

You didn’t actually respond to the point I made.

Your original list was four branches of Christianity, and you still haven’t explained why you chose only Christian denominations while calling the concept “global” and “inclusive.”

Saying “nothing more to add” doesn’t resolve that. It just avoids the question.

Real world faiths would not work in the game. I say that as a Christian. The Sims already has tried parody religions in a Sims title, and that was good enough, working extremely well. Your descriptions of the 4 denominations you chose are not spot on either, because the denomination I belong to is NOTHING like what you described and you listed it. Btw, you can already simulate real world faiths in-game without making it an update. I gave examples of what I do in another thread that recently suggested real-world faiths.

Bravo