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The Sims 4 by Maxis has always been ahead of the competition when it comes to representation and inclusion in gaming, and that’s set to continue as a new partnership has been announced between Maxis, hair color brand Dark & Lovely, and content creator Danielle “Ebonix” Udogaranya – the Play in Color campaign.
Play in Color is a campaign designed to “shine a spotlight on the importance of authentic representation in gaming,” according to Maxis. The early stages of the campaign include a short documentary film and a new range of hair colors developed alongside Dark & Lovely. Then later in the year (estimated July) a new free content drop will bring a locs hairstyle to players.
“Ebonix has paved an instrumental path towards greater representation in The Sims through her many years of dedication and work, from her first piece of custom content being a dashiki, to her many diverse and detailed hairstyles offered to the community,” says Anna Huerta, a Senior Creator Director on The Sims 4. “We’re thrilled to be teaming up again to have her as a key part of this campaign as we showcase and advocate for the importance of Black hairstyles in our virtual worlds as much as our real one.”
What else has Maxis done to improve representation in The Sims 4?
While The Sims as a series has always been applauded by gamers for its inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters, this was previously more of an incidental result of romance options not being restricted by gender. Now, however, The Sims 4 characters can be created with a range of gender and sexuality options that more accurately represent the diversity of its player base.
Making transgender characters is seamlessly integrated into character creation, as is the ability to define a Sim’s pronouns and their sexual preferences. We all know the infamous Woo-Hoo is a vital part of The Sims games so being able to create Sims that accurately reflect lived experiences is vital to ensure players feel represented.
✨ANNOUNCEMENT✨
I can FINALLY reveal that I have been working with @DarkAndLovely and @TheSims to bring you all the Play In Color campaign!! 🥲🥲😭😭😭😭
This is really more than just a campaign.. I’m seeing years of advocacy for black hair in games coming to life 😭🥹🪡 #ad pic.twitter.com/wLE5QX1oCe
— Ebonix • 🇵🇸🇨🇩🇸🇩🇱🇧 #FREEDEM (@Ebonix) March 25, 2024
Maxis has been explicit in its intentions to create an inclusive gaming experience. Executive Producer on The Sims 4 Phillip Ring has even presented their strategies to games industry leaders to share the lessons learned.
With rumors abounding that The Sims 4 might be coming to The Switch, and hints that The Sims 5 might be in development, Maxis’ continued dedication to improving and updating The Sims 4, as well as improving representation and inclusion will be a relief for players from all walks of life.
Featured image credit: EA/Maxis
