Disclaimer: This is not an attack on anyone involved here, and I really hope nobody else attacks them. Madi was nothing but helpful, and I’m sure the creators of inZOI aren’t being deliberate here. A summary of this article is at the bottom of it.
Background
Sims 4 and Expression
The Sims 4 may not be the favourite game in a long-running franchise, but it’s clearly got one thing right; Gender Expression and Sexuality. Although the game was originally built on a binary system, you could marry same-sex couples, and now with a recent patch, you can express a diverse gender range. They are actively working on being inclusive, and that’s great!
The Competition
A long list of coming-up competitors to the Sims features Paralives, Life by You, and now inZOI. It jumped up very recently, yet it is planned to release in late 2024, although it seems near finished now. It looks, and I don’t say this lightly, amazing. The graphics are stunning. The gameplay seems fun. It is one of the best competitors in a long time. But, in their own trailers, one thing seemed missing.
LGBTQIA+ People and inZOI
The inZOI marketing campaign is HEAVY. It’s almost unavoidable. One user now has access to an early copy, acottonsock is their username on YouTube. Madi’s been making videos for 3 years, something surprisingly impressive. They are a unique breed of Sims YouTuber now, as they do not appear to make ANY Sims 4 content, instead focusing on 2 and 3. Sims 2 and 3 do allow same sex relationships, however they do not allow any diverse gender options.
This is a bit of an odd choice in terms of inZOI’s marketing team as, although Madi is honestly a great creator, and I do actually plan on watching some of her non-inZOI content, they’re not the most popular Sims YouTuber. There are an expansive number, but I am being honest when I say that inZOI could’ve reached a much greater audience by catering to someone like Plumbella, Vixella, or lilsimsie, who definitely would’ve been down to do it.
I must admit, I’m glad they didn’t choose one of them. InZOI has made a deliberate move here, and it has calculated risks and benefits. One of the benefits of choosing Madi is the mutual benefit. Madi gains more followers, and inZOI gets to showcase their game.
I posed 2 questions in my email to Madi, “Can ZOIs engage in same-sex relationships, or any LGBTQIA+ relationships?” and “Can ZOIs be anything other than Cisgender Male and Females?”
Madi responded openly and willingly, and I must admit that not watching the four hour livestream was partial bad journalism, but I didn’t have the time to do anything but a skim. This is wonderful, as Same-Sex Relationships appear to be receiving love in inZOI, but I fear that the gender expression beyond a binary system is sorely lacking, and unless they add it soon I don’t think they will ever be featured in inZOI.
Summary
InZOI is a notable competitor the Sims franchise, and it does feature same-sex relationships, but unfortunately the ability to have beyond the binary system of Gender is sorely lacking. I really hope that something can be done to combat this, before the games release in late 2024. I fear that if it's not, it will be too late.
Going to start describing everything I have not yet published as "underappreciated" on the grounds that there's almost certainly at least one person out there who would appreciate it they knew about it.
I keep thinking abt the snitch in quidditch bc imagine if ur watching a neck and neck game of basketball or cricket and there’s just 2 people on the field chasing around a rat and when they get it the announcer goes “THE FIELD RAT HAS BEEN CAUGHT!!! THIS TEAM WINS BY 150 POINTS!”
Police are still investigating the mysterious murderer who buried his victims 6 feet deep and always leaves a headstone… they’ve found bodies from as early as 200 years ago
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