So Sims 4 is a young adult simulator ?

"Beardedgeek;c-17447366" wrote:

"thesimmer14;c-17446953" wrote:
The thing I've noticed is that they've taken a step back from "creating families" to "creating yourself". At least in their promotional tidbits. I must've seen about four ads over the past week depicting a young adult creating their "ideal" self in The Sims.

This was always an option, sure, but wasn't the original idea about making pretend families, rather than making up for the shortcomings of the world's inequalities? Don't get me wrong, I support the whole women's day thing, as well as the LGBT representation. But it feels like they're marketing it as a stigma-battle simulator lately. The over-emphasis on YA's is telling.

[This is coming from a 20-year old liberal arts college student, aka, their target audience :p )

I definitely disagree with this. Family play bores me, at least after 1 generation. Although I have never been a family player in any of the Sim games (I bought Sims 1 on release). But neither have I ever played a SimSelf. That would just creep me out. But more to the point, I remember the ads for Sims 1 and Sims 2 and Sims 3 and no, they were not dollhouses. There was hot tubs and dominas and hints of "fun for three"... if you catch my meaning (not that you could actually do that in game but yes, there was ads on the Stockholm subway of one old man and two young women iall flirting (I think that was for Sims 3).

However, specifically regarding Sims 4, it seems to me that the most prevalent groups on these forums are Family players, Supernatural players and Everyone Else (In that order). Sales over all tho? I don't know; I have never really had the impression that this forum is all that in tune with what the larger group of players want (and that stretches all the way back to 2014, when sales were very good despite so much rage here because Toddlers and Pools).

As for the last part? Sims 4 is quite simple the least discriminating game in history. At least from a AAA or larger Indie studio. And knowing how truly happy a lot of the LGBTQ+ players I listen to are about this? I say never mind the critics, go full force forward with that and f.... the critics. If they are too triggered by equal representation I am happy to see them never play Sims again.

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I use the term "dollhouse simulator" to term the concept of controlling fictional families. The marketing was never about playing a dollhouse, as far as I'm aware. The Sims 4 feels more like a marketing tool to say/prove things than a video game. A lot of effort goes into adverts, streams and representative content. Where is the gameplay?

I should also apologize if my comment pushed anyone the wrong way. I don't mind representation at all; as a college-bound female who has battled several mental illnesses, I appreciate and identify with the need for underrepresented groups to be heard.

I just wish they'd put more emphasis on product over polish. I also believe that other age groups need representation, too.

I don't think they're going to add fears to The Sims 4. Kind of like how they didn't include firefighters or police. It could make some players uncomfortable, especially if they're playing themselves. I may just be going on a tangent about my generation here, but for a group of radical, fearless and outspoken individuals, we're more sensitive than we'd like to admit.

Which is okay. I just don't think it should degrade our gaming experience. Represent, but don't withhold. There's a time and a place for these kinds of things.