Sims Players: 64% cis female, 21% cis male, 17% fluid/trans; 45% non-heterosexual

"CAPTAIN_NXR7;c-18286970" wrote:
I wonder what the gender ratio was with respect to previous titles. The reason I got into The Sims 4 = The Sims 3, which I started playing about a year prior TS4’s official release.

Spoiler

TS3 is a life sim that offers open world, cars and a world creation tool, which is something that I assume a majority of men would have a natural interest for. I did anyway. I expected Sims 4 to include similar features, which hasn’t happened so far, but I learned to appreciate the game for what it is now. I sort of fell into and rolled with it. It’s by no means a perfect game, but it suits my gameplay style and there are many features that I now prefer compared to similar ones that exist in previous titles, including graphics, build / buy, CAS and animation quality.

If however, I hadn’t been playing TS3 because it and other titles were simply non existent, I may not be playing The Sims 4 now.
Its marketing is predominantly “female” focused, which is something I would naturally avoid, unless someone forced me to play the game and I would find out that it is in fact, a lot of fun. Which again, I believe it is, bar a couple of annoying things.

In conclusion, you’re all very lucky to have me here. ?

Pretty much the exact same story. I started playing 3 in 2012 and I was obsessed with the amount of customization, it also wasn't advertised as a feminine game at the time so my parents got me a copy. I ended up getting 4 on release but that was a waste of $59.99 on launch.

"ryouma17;c-18286701" wrote:
whats wrong with simply being called a straight, bi, or gay person

Nothing wrong at all, if one of those labels works for you :)

I am female and I'm what my dad calls a mutt I am a list of many races and countries

"Simmingal;c-18287217" wrote:


also looking like Conchita Wurst is only a bonus really

Oh..is it? ... I'm not much of a gown type but look, I suppose there's a first for everything. Let’s hope the game will add it to my milestones. ?

"Eleri;c-18288055" wrote:

"CAPTAIN_NXR7;c-18287155" wrote:

I believe those students were confused because I look like the masculine equivalent of Conchita Wurst.

Wait, wait, wait. I'm noticing a discrepancy. That picture of your simself that you posted on the recent simself thread looked nothing whatsoever like Conchita Wurst. Was the handsome, mustard-clad figure a dastardly lie? Were you misrepresenting yourself online? Is that something people do?

Clever observation, two things however:

I used Conchita’s image as a point of reference - note the adjective that I used to describe my own resemblance to they/ them/ lady beard/ gown. It makes all the difference. In my case anyway. I think. I hope.

As a cursed being I may in fact- appear as either, depending on the size and the mood of the moon. I’ll admit it, on a day to day basis I do indeed look like the extremely beautiful, tall, dark, hairsome & fearsome, mustard clad beastly figure that you’re speaking of (thank you for noticing, I do appreciate the thought ?) that is- until around the night of the fat moon, when I transform into something more menacing, something that looks almost- but not quite - human. Some say super human, some say who-man? Some say Dude. Again, let’s take the Wurst example and take it from there.


Yes, unfortunately many people do misrepresent themselves online, and NO, I am certainly not one of those people.
I would never do such a thing, especially when it comes to posting my simself on the forums. Trust me, I look exactly like every single one of them.

"comicsforlife;c-18288460" wrote:
I am female and I'm what my dad calls a mutt I am a list of many races and countries

Is that what we get to call ourselves now? Mutts? Or does this only apply to females? ?
I do believe there should be an additional % for Simmers that are mutts and mongrels. We get the best of many worlds, or in my case, probably the worst. Go Team! ??

"CAPTAIN_NXR7;c-18288584" wrote:

"Simmingal;c-18287217" wrote:


also looking like Conchita Wurst is only a bonus really

Oh..is it? ... I'm not much of a gown type but look, I suppose there's a first for everything. Let’s hope the game will add it to my milestones. ?

"Eleri;c-18288055" wrote:

"CAPTAIN_NXR7;c-18287155" wrote:

I believe those students were confused because I look like the masculine equivalent of Conchita Wurst.

Wait, wait, wait. I'm noticing a discrepancy. That picture of your simself that you posted on the recent simself thread looked nothing whatsoever like Conchita Wurst. Was the handsome, mustard-clad figure a dastardly lie? Were you misrepresenting yourself online? Is that something people do?

Clever observation, two things however:

I used Conchita’s image as a point of reference - note the adjective that I used to describe my own resemblance to they/ them/ lady beard/ gown. It makes all the difference. In my case anyway. I think. I hope.

As a cursed being I may in fact- appear as either, depending on the size and the mood of the moon. I’ll admit it, on a day to day basis I do indeed look like the extremely beautiful, tall, dark, hairsome & fearsome, mustard clad beastly figure that you’re speaking of (thank you for noticing, I do appreciate the thought ?) that is- until around the night of the fat moon, when I transform into something more menacing, something that looks almost- but not quite - human. Some say super human, some say who-man? Some say Dude. Again, let’s take the Wurst example and take it from there.


Yes, unfortunately many people do misrepresent themselves online, and NO, I am certainly not one of those people.
I would never do such a thing, especially when it comes to posting my simself on the forums. Trust me, I look exactly like every single one of them.

"comicsforlife;c-18288460" wrote:
I am female and I'm what my dad calls a mutt I am a list of many races and countries

Is that what we get to call ourselves now? Mutts? Or does this only apply to females? ?
I do believe there should be an additional % for Simmers that are mutts and mongrels. We get the best of many worlds, or in my case, probably the worst. Go Team! ??

well its what my dad call himself so yes it works for males as well @CAPTAIN_NXR7

"ryouma17;c-18286701" wrote:
when did sexuality become so complicated, what's wrong with simply being called a straight, bi, or gay person

Because not everyone identifies or falls into the category of just those three labels, and people who fall under other labels/ identities have always existed and deserve a word to make sense of who they are and feel seen :smile:

The demographics for the Sims 4 comes as no surprise.

Sims 1/2/3 had more supernatural/fantasy gameplay, silly hi-jinks, and comical consequences, so the demographic was a bit more varied (including a more mature age group). Whereas the Sims 4 has been watered down to accommodate a more family/kid friendly play style. That's the choice EA made with this particular iteration and we either accept it or move on. And generally speaking, females/feminine types tend to be drawn towards that type of gameplay (family, nurture, dressup, romance, etc), so of course that's who the largest demographic ends up to be.

Companies will market their games/products to the largest audience and cater to the loudest squeaky wheels. All others (outliers) will get a few crumbs tossed their way once in a while to keep them playing/buying the product too (albeit they're not the main revenue). But it's like this in every industry, not just the Sims and not just gaming.... figure out who your largest demographic is (or choose who you want as your target audience) and aim the majority of your products and marketing strategies in that direction to draw even more of that demographic in.

I guess I'm a bit of an outlier as a Sims 4 player because even though I'm a female, I'm not much of a family player. For a few hours here and there? Sure, but not constantly all the time. I'm more drawn towards fantastical adventures and comical pandemonium. So the supernatural, and silly hijinx aspects of the Sims 1/2/3/4 is what has kept me around for so many years... even though there's less of it in the Sims 4, I'm still enjoying the bits that we do have.


As a side note:
Because of the more family/kid friendly direction of the Sims 4, I'm betting the next iteration of the game (Sims 5) will be even more geared towards that same demographic and will have hardly any (if at all) supernatural/occult/hi-jinks type of gameplay. We're already seeing that partially play out in the Sims 4 with such a lack of occult/supernatural DLC's, the reduction of humourous consequences.... and more importantly, the nerfing out of these things when they have been added because of the larger, louder audience demands on social media to get rid of them.

I think the 'us vs them' problem that has plagued the Sims 4 since the beginning is going to get resolved in the Sims 5 by simply omitting one side altogether. :|

Just my $.02 worth.

I'd be interested in exactly how this information is going to be used for future game design, because to me it seems a bit limiting to just say X amount of people are Cis female/male, X amount are trans, etc. Gender identity does not always line up with an individual's gender expression or gendered interests (that way lies gender essentialism). For example, I am a cisgender woman, my Sims game is 100% occult gameplay, I prefer my Sims families to be happy and drama free, and I don't tend to differentiate between male and female interests of careers when it comes to my Sims interests or work. I have female sims who have more traditionally masculine interests, male sims with more traditionally female interests, and vice versa. If EA is marketing towards cisgendered women in a gender essentialist manner (girls want girly things) then I would find that incredibly limiting. As it is the lack of content for male and masculine presenting Sims is already something I find frustrating and limiting.

"AncientMuse;c-18293391" wrote:


As a side note:
Because of the more family/kid friendly direction of the Sims 4, I'm betting the next iteration of the game (Sims 5) will be even more geared towards that same demographic and will have hardly any (if at all) supernatural/occult/hi-jinks type of gameplay. We're already seeing that partially play out in the Sims 4 with such a lack of occult/supernatural DLC's, the reduction of humourous consequences.... and more importantly, the nerfing out of these things when they have been added because of the larger, louder audience demands on social media to get rid of them.

Sims 4 suffers from the most major case of feature creep I've ever seen in the gaming industry. By the time Sims 5 comes out, Sims 4 will have so many features, expansions, packs, etc that it will greatly overshadow Sims 5 unless they introduce some truly unique and innovating content on release, bares bones at the start wont cut it.

When was this survey conducted? How did the participants find it?

Anyway I'm kinda one of the minority players according to this survey. Ace and trans. We're out here.

"AncientMuse;c-18293391" wrote:
As a side note:
Because of the more family/kid friendly direction of the Sims 4, I'm betting the next iteration of the game (Sims 5) will be even more geared towards that same demographic and will have hardly any (if at all) supernatural/occult/hi-jinks type of gameplay. We're already seeing that partially play out in the Sims 4 with such a lack of occult/supernatural DLC's, the reduction of humourous consequences.... and more importantly, the nerfing out of these things when they have been added because of the larger, louder audience demands on social media to get rid of them.

I think the 'us vs them' problem that has plagued the Sims 4 since the beginning is going to get resolved in the Sims 5 by simply omitting one side altogether. :|

Just my $.02 worth.

As an occult player, I hate that you're probably right... :/