These mods include game mechanics around chronic illness, autoimmune diseases, mental health, vision impairment, hearing loss, and more.
Not only have modders created new traits and game mechanics that depict visible and invisible disabilities, but they have also designed and built objects the players can use to aid in disability representation. While there are compelling arguments for both sides of the debate, some Simmers may be unaware that The Sims modding community has been creating disability representation for years. While some Simmers see the inclusion of disabilities in The Sims as a much-needed step forward, others see the potential for in-game disability representation to be ill-executed and trivialized. The debate around adding disabilities to The Sims has been ongoing since the first base game was released. While the new infant life stage is another step forward for realism in the game, there's no reason why The Sims 4 and the upcoming Sims 5 shouldn't add disability representation to the franchise. RELATED: Why The Sims 5 Needs to Add Mental Health Mechanics The Sims 4 Modding Community Has Provided Disability Representation That The Sims Franchise Has Consistently DisregardedĪs The Sims franchise has just celebrated its 23rd birthday, it's bittersweet for fans of the life simulator who want to see themselves represented in the game. As The Sims developer Maxis and publisher Electronic Arts have announced the development of The Sims 5 - aka "Project Rene" - the update may mark yet another Sims base game that won't provide crucial representation. Given that The Sims 4 has added knitting, camping, and more to the base game, there's no excuse why the franchise has avoided Simmer's calls for the inclusion of wheelchairs, crutches, mobility scooters, and the inclusion of disabilities across the board. While a recent Sims 4 update has added hearing aids, binders, and other much-needed elements to promote diverse and inclusive gameplay, it's a piecemeal attempt at representation for such a prolific franchise. Although fans are sure to be ecstatic about how infants can provide expansive possibilities for family gameplay, The Sims franchise has again left out disability representation in the game.
This expansion pack will be released as companion DLC to a significant Sims 4 update - the addition of a new infant life stage. While The Sims 4 is almost a decade old, there is still an influx of new content for the latest base game, including the upcoming Sims 4 Growing Together expansion pack. The Sims franchise has existed for over two decades, a feat that has been accomplished a few times within the video games industry's history.
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