Forum Discussion

ANS487's avatar
6 years ago

Adult female top in Eco Lifestyle pack has repeating "K K K" pattern. Seriously?

I am asking EA to remove this top from the game due to the repeating "K K K" pattern on it. (Please note, I am only using spaces in between the K's to avoid this post potentially being flagged and removed without it being seen.)

This top can be found in Create-A-Sim for female Sims in the new Eco Lifestyle expansion pack. If anyone can't view the image, it resembles a cropped sweater over another shirt. The shirt on the bottom layer features a blatant repeating "K K K" pattern on it. If you filter Packs to Eco Lifestyle and Fashion Choice to Feminine, it's the 5th top shown. There are a total of three different color variations displaying this pattern. There are also six other variations that don't feature any offensive pattern.

Displaying "K K K" on clothing is unacceptable at all times (unless the message on the clothing is denouncing and disparaging the hate group), but it is especially offensive right now, considering the massive protests against the brutal violence and discrimination toward Black people in the U.S. and all around the world.

One could argue that this was a mistake, or that the pattern is meant to be an abstract shape and not the letter K repeating, because the bottom right part of the K is slightly shorter and curved inward. Even if it was not intentional, it still looks too much like a K for comfort. One could also argue that since the pattern repeats indefinitely, it's not meant to be a reference to the actual K K K hate group. But notice how in each diagonal line of K's, only three full K's are visible. The remaining K's at the top or bottom of each line are cut off. If you rotate the Sim in CAS, there is no instance where you see more than three full K's in a line, and the only times instances when there are less than three K's in a line are at each side seam of the shirt (which would usually be obscured by the Sim's arms). So even though the pattern repeats, it still strongly invites the brain to read it as "K K K".

Even if this was unintentional, it is unbelievably tone deaf of the developers to see this pattern and how much it clearly looks like a repeating K, and then choose to keep it in the game anyway. Surely this item had to have been reviewed by multiple people while the game was in development. How could none of them have noticed the obvious "K K K" print? I noticed it right away. And if it was noticed in development, how did no one consider how offensive it is and have the compassion and tact to remove it? Virtually everyone in the U.S. and in many other countries is aware that the Ku Klux Klan is a violent, racist hate group. There is no excuse for its inclusion in the game.

I implore EA/The Sims 4 to remove this top or replace the "K K K" pattern with a different print immediately. If any and all items containing this "K K K" print are not removed, I request information on how to receive a full refund for the pack (which the website won't allow me to do currently), and will not purchase any EA products in the future.

I was really excited about this pack, but my heart sank as soon as I saw this racist item in the game. I've played the Sims since the very first Sims game was released; it's almost a part of my identity at this point. But I am fully prepared to stop playing my all-time favorite game franchise if this is not rectified. Please don't let your players down. Please do the right thing and remove this item and publicly apologize for allowing it to be included in the first place. Even if it was a mistake. Own up to your mistakes, apologize for them, and grow from them.

If anyone can direct me to a better way to contact EA or the Sims team about this matter, so that I may speak to an actual person, I would greatly appreciate your help. I checked the "Contact Us" page, but it doesn't have a category that I can click on that fits this situation. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me with that.

10 Replies

  • It's clearly not intended to be a racist product. An oversight definitely but not a message from EA that racism is ok.

  • jpkarlsen's avatar
    jpkarlsen
    Hero (Retired)
    6 years ago

    @ANS487 

    While KKK is an abbreviation for a well known racist American organization. K (dot) K in a repeating  upward slanted pattern are not. K&K is a known fashion brand.

  • EA_David's avatar
    EA_David
    Icon for Community Admin rankCommunity Admin
    6 years ago

    I'm sure this was an oversight, as noted, the design appears to be intended as something totally different from the interpretation you've given. That said, we will of course flag this to be looked into. 

  • I think it doesn't matter the intention or anything like that. EA is known worldwide, is a multi corporation, and The Sims is one of the most profitting games of all time with millions of players. Anything as sensitive as this should not be overlooked and should not be explained as "we didn't have the intention". It has to be removed. Period.

  • RandomBuzziness's avatar
    RandomBuzziness
    Seasoned Ace
    6 years ago

    @LaraMiyahara97 I think they changed the pattern of this top in the June 10th game patch. From the patch notes:

    "Changed one of the patterns of a women’s sweater in Eco Lifestyle (yfTop_EP09SweaterCropPrint_Brand)."

    I think it looks like this now:

    I'm just a regular Sims player, I do not work for EA, Sony, or Microsoft.

  • So if I found a shirt with multiple  "A",  should I be offended as an ex addict because it could be interpreted as "A A"? Even though they already changed it to please people, it was obviously not intended to be racist, just like an A pattern wouldn't be there to offend people battling with addiction. I do hope you can manage to stop finding reasons to get offended.

  • I can't even believe you had the guts to say something so absurd and stupid. You just need to go educate yourself regarding what K K K did to black lives and also learn to have some empathy and respect. 

  • EA_Darko's avatar
    EA_Darko
    Icon for Community Manager rankCommunity Manager
    6 years ago

    Hey all. I understand that this is an emotional topic and just want to ask that when responding here that we keep all posts polite and constructive.

    Everyone is free to share their thoughts and we would ask that you all be kind and respectful to one another. I don't think that any user here is trying to downplay anyone else reaction to this, simply offering a different perspective and engaging in discussion around this topic.

    Darko

  • SennaWales's avatar
    SennaWales
    Rising Ace
    6 years ago

    It's K repeating, not specifically KKK. I could just as easily say it means KK, which is a women's and children's hospital. Or it could be 4K, which means ultra HD resolution.

  • kreatora's avatar
    kreatora
    Hero (Retired)
    6 years ago
    @SennaWales

    In every country, as you search in its history, you will find a letter abbreviation that reminds the citizens of that country the worst pages of its history. I live in Europe and I will not boycott Kentucky Chicken because it has KC in its name, which means nothing for a US citizen but we associate it very badly.