Why can't sims be friends?
I’m past the point of accepting that Sims 4 is, for the most part, a vehicle for microtransactions. It simply is what it is. Now I’m just happy that other people are enjoying the creative process of dressing up their Sims or designing their dream homes, even if that comes packaged at five quid per pop of pixels. If we didn’t draw the line at horse armour, we’ve no reason to complain now.
In a fun move for Sims fans, EA recently offered the opportunity for the community to vote on its next kit, a batch of items and clothes to add to your collection. At first glance, this seems like a cute way to get community input. But, because we’re all on social media, lines have already been drawn.
Calling all Simmers! 📢 We’re letting you, the community, determine which themes will inspire the Kits in a future release 🥳Cast your vote for both a Create a Sim & Build Kit before voting closes on May 21 at 7pm PT! 🙌 💚Vote here: https://t.co/RCfR5469bu pic.twitter.com/T8nMEI2iMYMay 11, 2023
Dipping into the quote retweets reveals both passionate pleas and people gathering pitchforks—with voters choosing a side and begging their fellow Simmers to do the same. Honestly? I can’t blame them—a brief trip to the website shows some adorable concept art that already has me crossing my fingers for Team Goth, even if I don’t play.
Pastel lovers are being tempted with a “rainbow core style”, a “playful aesthetic featuring nostalgic, youthful designs, and pops of color”. They’re posed like the freeze-frame ending to a ’90s movie, the kind that has important lessons to give me about the power of friendship and being yourself.
Below them pose a trio of cool-kid goths who look like they’re about to wax poetic about how pointless homework is. “Do you grow nauseous at the sight of a bright pink sweater?” asks EA, directly below a drawing of a stylish goth whose chunky coat I actually want to own in real life.
It’s a smart marketing strategy by EA, slamming the community with a one-two punch of nostalgia and tribalism, pitting counterculture rebels against pastel preps. While I’m always cautious about how out-of-hand these things can get, I’m all for a little competition in good sport.
Less divisive are the building options, which are either medieval or high-tech. I don’t think we’ll be attaching personal identities to living in a castle or a spaceship until the invention of time travel. Still, if you enjoy getting your Sim builds just-right, you’ll have plenty of simoleons in the game.
If you want to cast your vote, you’ve got until May 21 at 7pm PT. Just try to keep things civil while representing your team—after all, there’s money to be made on EA’s part, so I’d wager we’ll see both options on the Sims 4 store eventually.
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