Sims 4

The Sims 4 is becoming more inclusive. Image via Adobe Stock

The Sims 4: New skin tones and hair options coming in October

The Sims 4 will receive at least a hundred new skin tones with a particular emphasis on darker skin tones.

Sims 4

The Sims 4 is becoming more inclusive. Image via Adobe Stock

The Sims 4 will get a free base game update which will visually improve darker skin tones and some hair options following a public commitment to improving representation.

Electronic Arts said, “The update will fix the game’s current blotchy and ashen look to darker skin tones, and also two base game hairstyles will be changed. The update arrives on PC and Mac on 4 October and on 10 November for console players.”

Players will need to toggle the Uncompressed Sim Texture option on in order to see the skin tone updates when they go live. EA notes that the update may crash on some graphics cards and recommends usage of at least 2GB of video RAM.

MORE SWEEPING CHANGES TO COME to THE SIMS 4

EA said the October update is only the first step in more sweeping changes coming to the game starting this December. The Sims 4 will receive at least a hundred new skin tone swatches in cool, neutral, and warm tones with a particular emphasis on darker skin tones.

The game will also add a new slider for all skin tones that allows players to change how light or dark they appear. The December update will also add a slider for makeup options and will improve two other base game hairstyles.

EA said it was collaborating with external partners and community members on the update. It plans to share more news about the changes in late October or early November.

PLAYERS CREATED THEIR OWN FREE CUSTOM MODS

The Sims has come under fire in recent years for its lack of representation for people of colour. There are some players in The Sims community that have gone around EA by creating their own free, custom mods, which add more diverse hairstyles and skin tones.

In August, executive producer Lyndsay Pearson said, “The Sims 4 team was committed to making the game’s character creations options more inclusive for people of colour. We hear you and recognise that we have not done enough to address the variety of skin tones and hairstyles that you expect to find in The Sims 4. While we have made additions and improvements and fixes in the past, there is much more for us to do.”