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MasterDarkwingz's avatar
5 years ago

"We Aim To Be Inclusive"

For those that pre-ordered the Snowy Escape Pack, I got notified by a user that bowing at shrines can no longer be done.
The Sims 4 team aims to be inclusive, yet actively censors and removes Japanese culture.
This is just as nonsensical as adding in a prayer bench, and then removing a prayer function because Jews and Christians have historically not got along.
It not only removes inclusivity of people who the prayer base does represent, but acts as if bowing in Japan isn't the norm.
If we can have a menorah in Animal Crossing New Horizons, then we should be able to unlock bowing in the Sims4.
To do otherwise would only make a further mockery of EA's historical videogame failings.
I look forward to the Kinder Egg crew's more ironic statements to back up this kneel to a fake cancel culture movement.

I also want to add onto this thread by saying that two cultures with historic backlash can indeed get along.
As an example, take how popular the Marvel characters Hulkling and Wiccan are in Brazil.
(They were boys who came from Christian and Jewish backgrounds, and are now a happy gay couple.)
The Sims 4 team only hinders the modern progression of religion by adhering to Twitter's cancel culture demands for justice to which no currently surviving family lineage has witnessed. (Elders generally do not live longer than 60-90 years.)
Furthermore, such actions of removal only enforces the cancel culture mob's perception that such features were intended to offend.
A perception which will help neither EA nor the common player base. (Regardless of practicing Shintoism or Buddhism.)

(CM: Double post merged together with original post)

156 Replies

  • "m3ukkie;c-17744835" wrote:
    "SimzSizzle;c-17744622" wrote:
    I for one am sorry the Japanese community feels that way, and look forward to EA clearing the air, and making it up to you.
    I don't know a lot about the various Asian cultures, but what little bit I do know, I respect a lot.
    I hope sometime soon this perceived rejection will be denied by EA and the record set straight so you can continue to play the games without feeling reproach.


    Oh, thank you for your kind words <3

    "SimzSizzle;c-17744597" wrote:
    Most people play games to get away from real life, now it feels like everyone wants to bring real life into the game. Can we just let it be a game please ? Playing to forget is a thing, and when the real world starts creeping into the game, that's when the game gets lost as in no one wants to play it anymore, and any fun it could've been goes with it.


    I agree with you. I grew up in the largest Koreatown in Japan, so I've seen a lot of disputes between South Koreans and Japanese. When EA supported those anti-Japanese people, I felt like the issues and the negative energy of hatred in the real world invaded one of my favorite games. My friends, including South Koreans living in Japan, and I thought "Even in a game? Really?"

    The following is a quote from the related news article. I hope this would help you understand the situation better.

    "The Sims 4 has confirmed changes will be made to the upcoming Snowy Escape pack, following concerns raised by Korean fans.

    Snowy Escape was unveiled earlier this week as the tenth Expansion Pack, with the official reveal trailer showing off the Japan-inspired world of Mt. Komorebi. Following this, a number of players pointed out two problematic moments.

    In one shot, a Sim is seen bowing in front of a shrine. For many Koreans, this is a reminder of when the country was under Japanese rule from 1910 to 1945. During this period, shrine worship was enforced.

    The second issue comes from one of the new clothing designs in the pack, with the imagery appearing similar to the controversial Japanese Rising Sun flag, which is associated with Japanese imperialism in Korea and China."


    Yes that helps me understand, thank you.
    I'm with a few other people in the way I think a little more research could've been done before including the religious part, and all of this could've been avoided because its part of the history of the two countries, so close together.
    Of course if they are separated into their own two countries, there would be some offences, otherwise they'd still be one country. History is well documented.
    If EA decides in the future to let the game produce a town or country that is representative of another culture, I hope they will spend a little more time in this area, and why not make a Japanese inspired town along with some others.
    The idea of that is exciting to me, and it would be real nice if some animations true to their cultures were included.
    We could learn about their cultures that way, and it would be fun imo.
  • "SimzSizzle;c-17745591" wrote:
    I'm with a few other people in the way I think a little more research could've been done before including the religious part, and all of this could've been avoided because its part of the history of the two countries, so close together.

    I agree. Honestly, I still think EA only did brief research to make the pack look good superficially. I think they didn't work with a native Japanese enough for the preparation, because if you were a Japanese, you could have sensed the risk of anti-Japanese sentiment. There are actually plenty of precedents in the game industry, too.

    "SimzSizzle;c-17745591" wrote:
    Of course if they are separated into their own two countries, there would be some offences, otherwise they'd still be one country. History is well documented.

    I'm grateful that they have their own country now. South Korea has many strong points. I can't live without their healthy foods and cosmetics. I think they should be really proud of their advantages and stop wasting their time for barren sabotage.

    "SimzSizzle;c-17745591" wrote:
    If EA decides in the future to let the game produce a town or country that is representative of another culture, I hope they will spend a little more time in this area, and why not make a Japanese inspired town along with some others.
    The idea of that is exciting to me, and it would be real nice if some animations true to their cultures were included.
    We could learn about their cultures that way, and it would be fun imo.

    Yes, it sounds great! I like others' cultures more than mine because it's boring for me. I personally think the most important thing isn't to represent ones accurately but to focus on the good or funny aspects of each one. Most of Japanese Simmers got offended this time because they couldn't feel any respect or love from EA's decision.

    South Korea and Japan may have a bad relationship now, but in a small community like my multicultural home town, local people are trying to make the relationship better. Since EA supported those activists of extreme anti-Japanese thinking this time, South Korea may look like a group who are easily offended, Japan may look like the embodiment of ego, and the relationship may look worse. I really like your idea. I hope it will come true someday and change the situation. :)
  • "m3ukkie;c-17746062" wrote:
    "SimzSizzle;c-17745591" wrote:
    I'm with a few other people in the way I think a little more research could've been done before including the religious part, and all of this could've been avoided because its part of the history of the two countries, so close together.

    I agree. Honestly, I still think EA only did brief research to make the pack look good superficially. I think they didn't work with a native Japanese enough for the preparation, because if you were a Japanese, you could have sensed the risk of anti-Japanese sentiment. There are actually plenty of precedents in the game industry, too.)


    They did say they consulted groups about the expansion before representing Japanese culture:

    “It’s an authentic look at Japanese culture,” Nardone explains of the Expansion. “We consulted with some of our groups internally about that just to make sure we’re representing not only the setting, but also the Sims themselves, in a respectful and authentic way.”

    Authenticity and representation are two of the key pillars The Sims 4 is now focused on, with new updates to skin tones and hair due to release before the end of the year.

    “Something that’s important to us is being able to bring more of the lived experiences of our players into the game, giving them an opportunity to have something that they can connect with, have moments that are relevant for them, and be able to recreate more of not only their own lives, but the lives of people like them too,” Nardone says of the game’s renewed focus on representation. 


    https://www.gamebyte.com/the-sims-4-snowy-escape-self-care-culture-covid-19-an-interview-with-simgurugraham/

    Interesting they said they want people to be able to recreate more of their own lives and people like them and still end up with their stance on the controversy.
  • "StrawberryYogurt;c-17746131" wrote:
    They did say they consulted groups about the expansion before representing Japanese culture: ...

    I know. I read the article but I still feel it's superficial.
  • "m3ukkie;c-17746182" wrote:
    "StrawberryYogurt;c-17746131" wrote:
    They did say they consulted groups about the expansion before representing Japanese culture: ...

    I know. I read the article but I still feel it's superficial.


    It was superficial, they likely only consulted someone as incompetent as the Kinder Egg excuse.
    Well, I've already given them plenty of solutions and profit potential in a more visible thread.
    I'm not really going to complain much after they actually put in new skin tones like they promised.
    Might take a few to four months for them to make Sulani and Gnome adaptations to the current (or future free) Shrine model.
  • EA_Lanna's avatar
    EA_Lanna
    Icon for Community Manager rankCommunity Manager
    5 years ago
    Hi folks,

    I'm just catching up on some discussions, including this one. I want to let you know that I locked this thread.

    The conversation has taken multiple turns and went deep into a variety of topics including the history of certain cultures, slavery, and cancel culture in the real world. While these are all worthwhile and important conversations to get into, the Sims forum is not the best place for that: off-topic tangents like the ones in this thread are not ok and break our rules.

    Should you wish to discuss The Sims and the inclusivity of this franchise specifically, please feel free to start a fresh thread and try to keep it on topic and in line with the forum rules.

    Thank you,

    EA_Lanna

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