Alongside a new patch for The Sims 4, there has been a major change in branding for the game. Gone are the old and simplistic loading screens and artwork (with mostly white backgrounds), which were present since release in 2014. The new aesthetics feature bolder colours, mainly shades of blue, with a geometric style.
The new art style for The Sims 4 rebrand has received mixed responses from fans. Some fans express approval with the change and the fresh look it gives the franchise. Others criticise the style for looking outdated or childish. There have also been criticisms from players that the new loading screen gives them headaches.
In a recent tweet, SimGuruFrost confirms that the main loading screen will change to a darker shade of blue in an attempt to prevent physical discomfort in players.
Included in The Sims 4 rebrand is a newer, more diverse selection of sims, including an LGBT+ couple.
Recently, across social media, there has been an emphasis on diversity and the personal impact of the franchise on players. A social media trend, #playwithlife, encourages players to share their stories about why they play The Sims and how it lets them express themselves or overcome difficulties.
The Sims franchise has been a consistent leader in LGBT+ representation, allowing same-sex relationships since the first game. In 2016, a patch for The Sims 4 expanded gender customisation options.
Create-a-Story
A new major feature added to Create-a-Sim is a new method of randomly generating a sim. The player is given a personality quiz involving situation-based questions with three answers relevant to how sims may react.
The game uses answers to generate aspiration and traits, as well as additional skill points, a career, and change in starting funds. Specific answers to several questions can result in the generated sim having an occult life state, such as being a vampire, with bonus power points.
This new feature can allow players to quickly populate a world with households and active jobs.
Additionally, there are more hair and clothing options available worn by sims featured on the game’s new cover art.
