Can we talk about the sims 4 rebrand vidio ?

I don't think the video suggests playing the game as an alternative to therapy but as a supplement to traditional therapy. Also, this article from 2 years ago indicate that some had already discovered the game as a means of distraction, albeit temporary, from real life issues.

There is something about The Sims that is incredibly calming. It’s not the “living another life vicariously through pixel people” but more, you know, “this is something I can just concentrate on for hours, build and weave communities and stories and suddenly everything in my head that’s trying to tear me apart, constantly, just fizzles away.”

For a short period of time, every single day, I have no anxiety. My constant dysphoria and body image issues are forgotten and I’m playing my transgender self, in a highly detailed game, managing a gigantic family of vampires, moving them around and building a network of some kind of expansive family bloodline. It’s just everything I could have asked for from a game, and even more. No toxic global chat channel constantly butting into my experience, no high-stress competitive environment, nobody telling me how they think I should live my life, or how they think I shouldn’t live at all.

http://newnormative.com/2017/10/18/sims-isnt-just-game-therapy-tool/

"simgirl1010;c-17283917" wrote:
I don't think the video suggests playing the game as an alternative to therapy but as a supplement to traditional therapy. Also, this article from 2 years ago indicate that some had already discovered the game as a means of distraction, albeit temporary, from real life issues.

There is something about The Sims that is incredibly calming. It’s not the “living another life vicariously through pixel people” but more, you know, “this is something I can just concentrate on for hours, build and weave communities and stories and suddenly everything in my head that’s trying to tear me apart, constantly, just fizzles away.”

For a short period of time, every single day, I have no anxiety. My constant dysphoria and body image issues are forgotten and I’m playing my transgender self, in a highly detailed game, managing a gigantic family of vampires, moving them around and building a network of some kind of expansive family bloodline. It’s just everything I could have asked for from a game, and even more. No toxic global chat channel constantly butting into my experience, no high-stress competitive environment, nobody telling me how they think I should live my life, or how they think I shouldn’t live at all.

http://newnormative.com/2017/10/18/sims-isnt-just-game-therapy-tool/

The Sims is not a supplement to therapy. I'm glad that some people are able to find peace in the game. It is a form of escapism. I often play video games to escape as well, and it's not just limited to the Sims. But even when I am going nuts and need to escape for awhile, I would never call gaming therapy. It's really not the point, though, when it comes to this ad.

The issue with this ad is that it is using these stories as a way to convince people to buy the game. That is awful and exploitative. It would be one thing if it were on a message board or on some article some place, but it is an advertisement.

(I did a complete rewrite because I misunderstood one point of the message quoted)

"simgirl1010;c-17283917" wrote:
I don't think the video suggests playing the game as an alternative to therapy but as a supplement to traditional therapy. Also, this article from 2 years ago indicate that some had already discovered the game as a means of distraction, albeit temporary, from real life issues.

There is something about The Sims that is incredibly calming. It’s not the “living another life vicariously through pixel people” but more, you know, “this is something I can just concentrate on for hours, build and weave communities and stories and suddenly everything in my head that’s trying to tear me apart, constantly, just fizzles away.”

For a short period of time, every single day, I have no anxiety. My constant dysphoria and body image issues are forgotten and I’m playing my transgender self, in a highly detailed game, managing a gigantic family of vampires, moving them around and building a network of some kind of expansive family bloodline. It’s just everything I could have asked for from a game, and even more. No toxic global chat channel constantly butting into my experience, no high-stress competitive environment, nobody telling me how they think I should live my life, or how they think I shouldn’t live at all.

http://newnormative.com/2017/10/18/sims-isnt-just-game-therapy-tool/

In addition to @Felicity : what puts me off is how they took one effect the game indeed can have (like the person you quoted though I’m convinced as well most games have that effect, that’s why so many people love playing them and sometimes even get addicted, in both a mild or a more problematic way) and turned it into a selling point. This of course isn’t the first time we discuss this video (they made it in July I think?), it’s also that ‘requirements’ list on the right that reveals they’re just interested in getting those stories for marketing purposes, completely ignoring what the real life effect might be for these young people, who are encouraged to broadcast their experiences in their dysfunctional families or getting back at siblings or parents. And also that age limit proves that; a 27 year old woman actually tweeted she was turned down for this because she was too old. They’re not interested in people, they just want to sell their game to the young. It’s almost funny how much a token of exclusiveness this advert is.

Even though I'm a writer, with words stock in trade, words fail to adequately express the revulsion with this abomination they have foisted on us. There is no justification for this exploitation, all in the name of increased profits. For shame!

This one was better honestly and actually showed the game better:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl8AYEYMeG8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4lOoijWD-g

In a game where you can literally get emotion'd to death (had a Sim get so embarrassed she crawled into a fettle position and f'ing died.), can watch children drown in the ocean and get poisoned by pufferfish, and of course my favorite, see just how easy it is to watch your entire family die in a house fire. The LAST thing I'd try to use to promote this game with is "It's a safe space everyone! Come one come all, if you have issues like depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts come play Sims 4! It'll make you magically feel better unless you see your Simself get horribly embarrassed in public that they literally die from embarrassment!"

This honestly has to be the most tone deaf ad I've seen in ages. They KNOW they have a subpar product that they've been half-baking by the lack of content, letting the older packs rot (Seriously, what's the point of getting Dine Out when every new pack bugs the living crap out of Dine Out and EA refuses to look back and try and fix it? Honestly at this point, Dine Out has been the biggest waste of $20 I've made in a long time.). But you know what? We can't say anything bad about Sims 4, because look at what they're doing! You can finally make the Transgender or Non-Binary Sim that said people have wanted to make for years! You can now make a real Muslim Sim without relying on mods! And on top of all that, look at how much this game is helping everyone! All these people with mental health issues, or people with depression, or bully victims or suicidal thoughts are now magically better because of the Sims! You'd have to be a real piece of human garbage to trash talk the Sims now! See what I just said? All of this is just being done to shield The Sims 4, Maxis and EA from any valid criticism!

That's right folks, this was all done to hide behind marginalized people while sticking their head out from behind them going "Na nana na boo boo!" and sticking out their tongues at you like the immature folk at EA are.

Ever since EA had fired over 350 people from the EA Marketing Department I realized that The Sims had also suffered from it. Who even thought this was a good idea? TBH The Sims 3 Generations Trailer is enough to make people play the game than this....

"DoodlyDoofus;c-17285223" wrote:
In a game where you can literally get emotion'd to death (had a Sim get so embarrassed she crawled into a fettle position and f'ing died.), can watch children drown in the ocean and get poisoned by pufferfish, and of course my favorite, see just how easy it is to watch your entire family die in a house fire. The LAST thing I'd try to use to promote this game with is "It's a safe space everyone! Come one come all, if you have issues like depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts come play Sims 4! It'll make you magically feel better unless you see your Simself get horribly embarrassed in public that they literally die from embarrassment!"

This honestly has to be the most tone deaf ad I've seen in ages. They KNOW they have a subpar product that they've been half-baking by the lack of content, letting the older packs rot (Seriously, what's the point of getting Dine Out when every new pack bugs the living plum out of Dine Out and EA refuses to look back and try and fix it? Honestly at this point, Dine Out has been the biggest waste of $20 I've made in a long time.). But you know what? We can't say anything bad about Sims 4, because look at what they're doing! You can finally make the Transgender or Non-Binary Sim that said people have wanted to make for years! You can now make a real Muslim Sim without relying on mods! And on top of all that, look at how much this game is helping everyone! All these people with mental health issues, or people with depression, or bully victims or suicidal thoughts are now magically better because of the Sims! You'd have to be a real piece of human garbage to trash talk the Sims now! See what I just said? All of this is just being done to shield The Sims 4, Maxis and EA from any valid criticism!

That's right folks, this was all done to hide behind marginalized people while sticking their head out from behind them going "Na nana na boo boo!" and sticking out their tongues at you like the immature folk at EA are.

It actually triggers my anxiety more than the other Sims games. A game about escaping failure is always going to feed depression rather than help it. It is the Facebook mentality with the Sims 4. People view the facade of all these so called perfect lives, but if you look beyond the surface, many of these people are facing stressful situations in their lives. There still isn't a non-binary gender option in the game. There are a ton of cultures still not being represented in the game, and disabilities are still not being represented in the game. Sims 4 has the biggest ageism and sexualism issue with the game too with nearly every pack catering to YA female Sims only and only offering high heels for shoes for females. Makeup and majority of outfits still caters to white Sims only especially with the eye shadows and blushes with the limited color options. The lack of custom hair colors and hair colors leaves out a lot of Simmers as well. There aren't enough tattoos and body piercings which is becoming more and more common everyday. Sims also have too much money without any consequences which caters to the rich. It is like all the problems my country is facing alienating people is all displayed in the Sims 4 and it is no longer a game to escape to. I also hate when representation is done in the game, it is always met with backlash, so this video is a slap in the face with the Sims community issues and bullying that is allowed on social media, forums, and fan sites. What is the point if these issues can't be addressed in the community when bullying is allowed day in and day out as well as other illegal activity without consequence.

Amusing they stated only real stories..how would they know? lol, I doubt they investigate if the person is telling the truth about their situation or not. Could just be a few young people who wanted to get famous over on Youtube. Look how many times there have been fake stories and social media ate it up and it was all fake, lol. Never believe anything on the internet, maybe not even your mother over on facebook.

ETA: A couple of those faces seem awfully familar to me. Maybe I saw those 'real people' and not actors in a commercial somewhere. It will dawn on me one day where I have seen them before. But sure, they are real people, real gamers, right? And not actors? lol I think I have seen them somewhere before. Just not sure where, yet.

Edited to add: When I do figure out where I have seen them, it won't surprise me at all for Maxis to admit, oh yes, those are actors but the stories they told were real stories by real players. We asked real players to tell us their stories, then these paid actors told those stories for them in this video. :s

"Felicity;c-17283816" wrote:

"Horrorgirl6;d-967777" wrote:
Besides being cringey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKVaEM0VfXU
I feel like this video is manipulating.It feels like they took a bunch of people with self-esteem issues than put them on the center. The thing is this game is not meant to be a safe space, and you shouldn't be using this game as the main comfort. I have issues as well, and this does not sit well with me.

I do not like this ad at all. It's irresponsible. A video game should never ever be suggested as an alternative for counseling. I'm surprised that they didn't get much backlash for this ad.

I guess I'm old fashioned. I just think video games should be fun to play.

Unfortunately, the reality is that when people are depressed or their lives aren't good for whatever reason, some turn to drugs, others turn to gambling, some turn to video games, etc. Anything to distract one from the fact that their actual life isn't the best. I do wish that wasn't the case.