This season, you'll swoon over 2 stylish free updates and get romantic with 2 destination kits! But that's not all – embrace all those tingly butterfly feelings with a flirtatious new expansion pack!
It's a new season. Make your move <3
The Sims 4
The Season of Love Has Arrived in The Sims™ 4
This season, you'll swoon over 2 stylish free updates and get romantic with 2 destination kits! But that's not all – embrace all those tingly butterfly feelings with a flirtatious new expansion pack!
It's a new season. Make your move <3
Two New Kits Are Here!
Urban Homage features expressive colors, striking patterns, and confident accessories inspired by 00s fashion and reimagined for a modern era. Simmer Ebonix collaborated on every detail of this kit which reflects a bold, unapologetic style she wanted to share with the Simmer community.
Party Essentials help you set the mood for any party you want to throw with matching decorations in a variety of swatches, plus a disco ball and fog machine.
*Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. For PC, see minimum system requirements for the pack.
Two New Kits Arrive April 18
Urban Homage features expressive colors, striking patterns, and confident accessories inspired by 00s fashion and reimagined for a modern era. Simmer Ebonix collaborated on every detail of this kit which reflects a bold, unapologetic style she wanted to share with the Simmer community.
Party Essentials help you set the mood for any party you want to throw with matching decorations in a variety of swatches, plus a disco ball and fog machine.
*Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. For PC, see minimum system requirements for the pack.
HOW THE SIMS AND ITS PARTNERS ARE EXPANDING DIVERSITY & REPRESENTATION IN GAMING
So when we got the opportunity to work with both legendary beauty brand Dark & Lovely and multi-award-winning gaming content creator and DE&I advocate Danielle “Ebonix” Udogaranya, we leaped at the chance. The result is “Play in Color,” a campaign and documentary that shines a spotlight on the importance of authentic representation in gaming.
For much of the history of the video game industry, authentic representation and features of people of color and other marginalized communities have been significantly underrepresented. These groups have made up a substantial segment of the gaming community from the very beginning, but games have often dramatically underrepresented Black hairstyles in particular.
At Maxis, we’ve been grateful for the chance to help make progress toward better representation through in-game releases. This includes Vitiligo skin features; updates to Townies, in-game characters, incorporating different backgrounds, regional features, and skin tones to match their story; and collaborations with our extensive community of talented creators. Our updates give players of The Sims the resources to create characters that look like them and tell stories that reflect their lived experiences - but there is so much more room to grow.
This is why we’re so pleased to be collaborating with Dark & Lovely and Ebonix to help draw attention to both the progress being made and the need for continued improvement. To start, we’re supporting our partners with the launch of this campaign that includes a documentary video showcasing the voices of Ebonix, The Sims 4 teammates Senior Creative Director Anna Huerta and Assistant Producer Kaelah Smallwood, and Taireek Simms from the Dark & Lovely team who are helping to drive this progress. Take a look:
Next, building on previous collaborations with Ebonix on in-game features like skin tones and nail options, we’re working with the hair professionals at Dark & Lovely to introduce 24 color combinations across two existing hairstyles in April 2024, inspired by the company’s newest color Immersive Bolds collection.
Then, in a free content drop, we'll introduce a new locs hairstyle that’s also developed in collaboration with Dark & Lovely and available to players in July 2024.
“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,” shares Anna Huerta, Senior Creator Director, 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.”
We’re also extremely excited about the inclusion of one of our own The Sims 4 developers in the campaign. Kaelah first got her start in the video game industry by creating mods for The Sims as a player. “Being very involved in the Sims community,” she says, “I started to notice that there were things fans were asking for that would really make whole groups of people feel better represented—so I decided to figure out how to do it!”
That wasn’t a simple process, of course. Not only did Kaelah have to teach herself how to create mods, but she also had to overcome the practical effects of the aforementioned lack of representation in the industry. “Growing up I always thought that working on video games would be amazing,” she says, “but I never really thought it was possible for me, since I didn’t see many people who looked like me making them. Seeing the diverse group of mod creators for The Sims made it all finally seem possible.”
One notable member of that group, in fact, was Ebonix herself. “Dani’s mods were some of the first ones I downloaded!” Kaelah says. “At the time there weren't many hairstyles in the game that really connected with me, but her mods let young Sims have the same little twists and braids that I had growing up—which is such a huge deal for representation.”
Now she’s able to continue the work of representation within the Sims team itself. “I started making mods,” she says, “all because I wanted to add more diversity and inclusion to the game. So helping make sure that The Sims is actively working to bring diversity and inclusivity to all players is a really big deal to me.”
Of course, this work is ongoing. There will never be a point where we’ll say, “Diversity accomplished!” We will continue to improve however we can. “At every step of the process, we’re thinking about ways to make the game more inclusive and diverse,” Kaelah says. “Because everyone should be able to see themselves in their Sims.”
Free Stuff Pack Alert!
Pick up The Sims™ 4 Backyard Stuff Pack while it's free for a limited time! Your Sims will get to play two lawn water slides and you'll get to add fun and color to their outdoor spaces. Decorate with potted plants, playful lights, and bright patio furniture. As for fashion, outfit your Sims for relaxation with comfy clothes and casual hairstyles.
Get it free before the offer ends!
*Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. For PC, see minimum system requirements for the pack.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1235760/The_Sims_4_Backyard_Stuff/
The Sims™ 4 Crystal Creations Stuff Pack*
The quality of the jewelry your Sim crafts will depend on their Gemology skill level, and the customizations are up to you! Try different combinations of colorful gems and metals.
Supercharging gems or crafted jewelry in the moonlight will give your creations special effects. They might help the wearer succeed in their career, overcome a negative moodlet, or even help progress a relationship.
There are 11 possible cuts and 27 possible effects. Crafted jewelry can be worn, gifted, or sold.
Buy The Sims™ 4 Crystal Creations Stuff Pack today!
*Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. For PC, see minimum system requirements for the pack.
The Sims™ 4 Crystal Creations Stuff Pack Arrives Feb 29
Collect colorful gemstones and metals to use in your new craft. If you're having trouble finding the gems you want, try checking the sparkling new Crystal Tree! Once you've got your materials, head to the Gemology Table and get crafting. There are 11 possible ways to cut gems, and your results will vary depending on your Sim's Gemology skill level.
Besides looking radiant, gemstones and crafted jewelry can be charged in the moonlight and given special abilities that will impact Sims’ moods, relationships, careers, and lives! There are 27 possible effects to try.
Pair your shining creations with hints of mystery and intrigue. The clothing and furniture in this pack is perfect for a cozy workroom!
*Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. See minimum system requirements for the pack.
Vitiligo Skin Feature in The Sims 4
Skin Details in The Sims 4
Skin details are an important area of focus for the dev team as we remain committed to expanding representation in The Sims 4. Birthmarks, stretch marks, scars, and freckles have empowered our players to tell diverse and authentic stories, and today's update continues with these efforts. We have known for a while we wanted to add Vitiligo to the game, and we spent a lot of time learning about it and considering how to authentically provide it to players.
Bringing Vitiligo In-Game
When it came to Vitiligo in The Sims, we knew we wanted to start with providing a range of patterns showing different levels of coverage and symmetry. Our Concept Artist and Art Director collaborated to design a diverse set of patterns across faces, torso sections, and limbs. In our research, we found that depigmentation may have clear edges and some edges may be darker and irregular. Affected skin can be absolutely white, or can be pink or varying shades lighter than the surrounding skin. Since vitiligo affects people of all ethnicities and skin types, our Senior Character Artist intentionally created the first assets to work with a Sim's skin tone. As you cycle through the shades and change from warm to neutral to cool, the color of your Sim’s Vitiligo will adjust to change with it.
Vitiligo can begin to appear early in infancy and as you age your patches can expand and change, so we knew we wanted to provide this feature to all ages, from infants to elder Sims. The patterns of patches could warp in shape if they were simply converted for each frame of Sim, so our Character Artist who expanded the selection ensured that they stayed consistent across bodies. In all, our artists developed 61 Vitiligo variants across all ages for this first release. Our team of developers, dedicated to The Sims 4 Base Game, is beyond grateful for the talent and time provided to us by the artists and their dedication to the quality of every asset they create.
How It Works
After you download today’s update, you’ll find the new Vitiligo assets in Create-A-Sim. Go to the Skin Details category for either the Face or Body. The new assets will show up right before the Birthmarks that were delivered with the Growing Together Base Game update. You can choose patches for your Sim’s face, upper torso, lower torso, arms, and legs. Several Vitiligo patterns will have more than one variant - you can choose whether you want to start with a less prominent part of the pattern at first or start with the full pattern. All ages will have access to the same pieces, so your choices can stay the same as they age or you can change them over time.
Winnie Harlow Partnership
The Sims 4 team is partnering with supermodel and beauty entrepreneur Winnie Harlow to introduce this new update. Winnie, who was an avid The Sims player during her youth, is excited to share styling and interior design inspiration with players through an original content piece that showcases a Simified version of the fashion model’s Hollywood home. She gives a room-by-room tour of her dream home and talks about what this level of in-game representation with the Vitiligo feature means to her. Simmers can download her home from the gallery as well as play with the Winnie-inspired Sim.
“It’s magical to see The Sims 4 team introduce this new Vitiligo feature,” Winnie said. “As a child, I spent a lot of time playing The Sims and I think it’s so beautiful to be able to represent your true self in-game. This partnership is a powerful statement encouraging players to embrace what makes them unique – both in-game and in real life.”
F.A.Q.
Can I choose the color of my Sim’s Vitiligo?
Not quite. Although all patterns contrast greatly with your Sim’s skin, the exact color of the Vitiligo patches depends on the hue and tone of the skin color you choose. If you change a warm skin tone to a cool one, the color of the Vitiligo reflects this.
Can I change my Sim’s Vitiligo pattern? Or, can I add or remove it later?
Yes, you can change, add, or remove any of the Vitiligo patterns by returning to Create-A-Sim and doing so in the Skin Details section.
Can the shape of the Sim’s pattern change based on their body?
Yes. Skin Details will adjust some depending on where you stretch or move their skin or body parts. If you widen a Sim’s nose, and they have a patch of Vitiligo across it, the patch will change with it.
Will Vitiligo affect my Sim during gameplay?
No. Like the Birthmarks feature, Vitiligo patterns will not have any effects on gameplay.
Can Vitiligo layer with other Skin Details?
Vitiligo can layer with all Face and Body details except Birthmarks. You can also use Tattoos and Body Hair with them.
Why can’t Vitiligo layer with Birthmarks?
Vitiligo uses the same tech as Birthmarks, so they will act the same way. You can’t layer multiple Birthmarks, and they don’t automatically transition between frames (younger to older, feminine to masculine). Teens will keep the same Skin Details for the rest of their lives though, as long as they use the same frame.
Will Vitiligo affect my Sim’s Body Hair color?
No. We hope to address the ability of Vitiligo to affect hair color in the future, but at this time, vitiligo will only apply to skin.
Tune in today at 4 PM PT on to keep the birthday celebration going 🎊 💚
Two New Kits Available Now
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2727380/The_Sims_4_Goth_Galore_Kit/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2727370/The_Sims_4_Castle_Estate_Kit/
New kits are here! Embrace the dark side of fashion with The Sims™ 4 Goth Galore Kit and look to the past for build inspiration with The Sims™ 4 Castle Estate Kit.
Outfit your Sims in mesh, leather, and moody makeup inspired by the contemporary goth scene. Variety isn't always about color; you can use harnesses, belts, buckles, and straps to add texture to your Sim's wardrobe.
The Castle Estate Kit will give you a taste of grandeur. Build the perfect setting for your next story with grand staircases, gorgeous stonework, and leaded glass windows, and even add classic details like arrow slits, parapets, and a gargoyle.
*Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. For PC, see minimum system requirements for the pack.