Following the release of the reveal trailer for The Sims 4 Snowy Escape, some players from South Korea raised concerns about problematic and culturally insensitive imagery featured in the trailer. The trailer appeared to depict Sims bowing at a shrine and the pattern of a sunburst on some items of clothing.
South Korean players pointed out that these images are a painful reminder of historical events during WWII that are still deeply felt today.
Today, @SimGuruGraham took to Twitter to assure players that in light of this knowledge, they have edited the reveal trailer and removed the offensive material from the expansion. Sims will no longer bow at the shrines and depictions of the rising sun pattern have been removed.
Hi, Simmers! We modified the reveal trailer for The Sims 4 Snowy Escape and have made changes to the pack to respect our Korean players. I want you to know that those changes will be in-game when Snowy Escape launches.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) October 23, 2020
We aim to be inclusive. We involve others both within and outside of our team, and we listen to them as representatives of the cultures that we draw inspiration from. We’re unwavering in our commitment to representing more of our player’s lives in an authentic and respectful way.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) October 23, 2020
For players outside of East Asia who may not be familiar with the negative cultural and historical impact of these in-game depictions, please see our previous article on this subject, South Korean Players Raise Concern Over Insensitive Imagery in The Sims 4 Snowy Escape.
Sims Community would like to remind its readers that comments on this and all our articles are being moderated and we reserve the right to remove any comments that are abusive or otherwise disrespectful. Thank you.
Wow, I’m actually surprised. I’m glad they were able to see those major issues and fix them. I just think it’s tragic that so many fans were completely insensitive to the Korean players feelings. Thank goodness the team decided to make the necessary changes.
Good on them for fixing this quickly but I hope this means future complaints won’t take 6+ years to address and correct.
Good for South Korean gamer maxis still think of their fan then
They quickly fixed that issue with the culturally insensitive error, but we still can’t have and are still waiting for them to fix the issue with the darker skin tones? How lovely!
Um… I get what your saying but you do realize those are on different levels right. Comparing the skin tone issue to the triggering history of r*pe, murder, and colonization between Korea and Japan…
My thoughts EXACTLY!
Really glad to see this news! I hope other people around world as well as EA, could know about tragic history of Korea.
Good Job EA!! 🙂
Not sure if I will buy it now; we are still forced to have muslim stuff in our game but for Koreans they remove it although you don’t even have to play with it…
So yeah I guess Christs should have start a shitstorm too to keep their game safe and clean.
(I’d prefer a politics & religious free game anyway but TS 4 now is way too political and religious and ideological for my taste :/
PS:
Why not just redesigning the shrine in something fantasy like? This animation would have been so great for any kind of fantasy or Medieval story gameplay that’s not even related to Korea / ASIA because then modders could just add different tools and it’ll be even possible to play some Dark Sorcerer storyline or so …. also with the nature elementals that probably were summoned by bowing in front of the shrine…
That may have worked initially but not after the controversary. Shinto has been apart of Japan for centuries long before their crimes against Korea. There are actions Japan has yet to apologize to South Korean about. Obviously SK does have its many flaws and faults when it comes to other countries but not in the case of the war crimes Japan inflicted. It’s disappointing how issues and tensions between their governments has some Koreans lashing out at anything Japanese related.
Stop spreading lies Rene.
June 22, 1965: Minister of Foreign Affairs Shiina Etsusaburo said to the people of South Korea: “In our two countries’ long history there have been unfortunate times, it is truly regrettable and we are deeply remorseful” (Signing of the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and South Korea).
August 26, 1982: Chief Cabinet Secretary Kiichi Miyazawa said to the people of the Republic of Korea: “1. The Japanese Government and the Japanese people are deeply aware of the fact that acts by our country in the past caused tremendous suffering and damage to the peoples of Asian countries, including the Republic of Korea (ROK) and China, and have followed the path of a pacifist state with remorse and determination that such acts must never be repeated. Japan has recognized, in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, of 1965, that the ‘past relations are regrettable, and Japan feels deep remorse,’ and in the Japan-China Joint Communique, that Japan is ‘keenly conscious of the responsibility for the serious damage that Japan caused in the past to the Chinese people through war and deeply reproaches itself.’ These statements confirm Japan’s remorse and determination which I stated above and this recognition has not changed at all to this day. 2. This spirit in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, and the Japan-China Joint Communique, naturally should also be respected in Japan’s school education and textbook authorization.
1989: Prime Minister Takeshita Noboru, in a speech in the Japanese Diet, said: “As we have made clear previously at repeated opportunities, the Japanese government and the Japanese people are deeply conscious of the fact that the actions of our country in the past caused suffering and loss to many people in neighboring countries. Starting from our regret and resolve not to repeat such things a second time, we have followed a course as a “Peace Nation” since then. This awareness and regret should be emphasized especially in the relationship between our countries and the Korean Peninsula, our nearest neighbors both geographically and historically. At this opportunity as we face a new situation in the Korean Peninsula, again, to all peoples of the globe, concerning the relationship of the past, we want to express our deep regret and sorrow” (Speech in the Japanese Diet).
April 18, 1990: Minister of Foreign Affairs Taro Nakayama said to the people of South Korea: “Japan is deeply sorry for the tragedy in which these (Korean) people were moved to Sakhalin not of their own free will but by the design of the Japanese government and had to remain there after the conclusion of the war” (188th National Diet Session Lower House Committee of Foreign Affairs).[12]
May 25, 1990: Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu, in a meeting with President Roh Tae Woo, said: “I would like to take the opportunity here to humbly reflect upon how the people of the Korean Peninsula went through unbearable pain and sorrow as a result of our country’s actions during a certain period in the past and to express that we are sorry” (Summit meeting with President Roh Tae Woo in Japan).[14]
January 17, 1992: Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, at a policy speech on a visit to South Korea, said:. “What we should not forget about relationship between our nation and your nation is a fact that there was a certain period in the thousands of years of our company when we were the victimizer and you were the victim. I would like to once again express a heartfelt remorse and apology for the unbearable suffering and sorrow that you experienced during this period because of our nation’s act.” Recently the issue of the so-called ‘wartime comfort women’ is being brought up. I think that incidents like this are seriously heartbreaking, and I am truly sorry”.[16]
July 6, 1992. Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Kato said: “The Government again would like to express its sincere apology and remorse to all those who have suffered indescribable hardship as so-called ‘wartime comfort women,’ irrespective of their nationality or place of birth. With profound remorse and determination that such a mistake must never be repeated, Japan will maintain its stance as a pacifist nation and will endeavor to build up new future-oriented relations with the Republic of Korea and with other countries and regions in Asia. As I listen to many people, I feel truly grieved for this issue. By listening to the opinions of people from various directions, I would like to consider sincerely in what way we can express our feelings to those who suffered such hardship”
June 23, 1996: Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said in a press conference: “Hashimoto mentioned the aspects of Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula such as the forced Japanization of Korean people’s name and commented “It is beyond imagination how this injured the hearts of Korean people”. Hashimoto also touched on the issue of Korean comfort women and said “Nothing injured the honor and dignity of women more than this and I would like to extend words of deep remorse and the heartfelt apology”
October 8, 1996: Emperor Akihito said in a speech at a dinner with the South Korean president, Kim Dae Jung: “There was a period when our nation brought to bear great sufferings upon the people of the Korean Peninsula.” “The deep sorrow that I feel over this will never be forgotten”.
October 8, 1998: Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi said in a declaration: “Looking back on the relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea during this century, Prime Minister Obuchi regarded in a spirit of humility the fact of history that Japan caused, during a certain period in the past, tremendous damage and suffering to the people of the Republic of Korea through its colonial rule, and expressed his deep remorse and heartfelt apology for this fact. President Kim accepted with sincerity this statement of Prime Minister Obuchi’s recognition of history and expressed his appreciation for it. He also expressed his view that the present calls upon both countries to overcome their unfortunate history and to build a future-oriented relationship based on reconciliation as well as good-neighborly and friendly cooperation” (Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration A New Japan-South Korea Partnership towards the Twenty-first Century).[31]
September 17, 2002: Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said: “The Japanese side regards, in a spirit of humility, the facts of history that Japan caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of Korea through its colonial rule in the past, and expressed deep remorse and heartfelt apology” (Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration).[39]
August 10, 2010: Prime Minister Naoto Kan expressed “deep regret over the suffering inflicted” during the Empire of Japan’s colonial rule over Korea. Japan’s Kyodo News also reported that Cabinet members endorsed the statement. In addition, Kan said that Japan will hand over precious cultural artifacts that South Korea has been demanding. Among them were records of an ancient Korean royal dynasty.[46]
December 7, 2010: Prime Minister Naoto Kan apologized for Korea’s suffering under colonization as part of a statement marking the 100th anniversary of the annexation in 1910. “I express a renewed feeling of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology for the tremendous damage and suffering caused by colonial rule,” Kan said. Kan said Japan colonized Korea “against the will of the Korean people” who suffered great damage to their national pride and loss of culture and sovereignty as a result and added that he wants to take an honest look at his country’s past with the courage and humility to address its history.[48]
December 28, 2015: Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se made an announcement at a joint press conference, which consisted of their respective statements on behalf of Japan and South Korea. Kishida stated, “The issue of comfort women, with an involvement of the Japanese military authorities at that time, was a grave affront to the honor and dignity of large numbers of women, and the Government of Japan is painfully aware of responsibilities from this perspective. As Prime Minister of Japan, Prime Minister Abe expresses anew his most sincere apologies and remorse to all the women who underwent immeasurable and painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women.” The statement went on to explain that “the Government of Japan will now take measures to heal psychological wounds of all former comfort women through its budget” and that it had been decided that the South Korean government would “establish a foundation for the purpose of providing support for the former comfort women”. In return, Yun stated that his government “acknowledges the fact that the Government of Japan is concerned about the statue built in front of the Embassy of Japan in Seoul from the viewpoint of preventing any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity, and will strive to solve this issue in an appropriate manner”. Both stated that this agreement will “finally and irreversibly” resolve the contentious issue and that “on the premise that the Government of Japan will steadily implement the measures it announced”, both countries “will refrain from accusing or criticizing each other regarding this issue in the international community, including at the United Nations”.[54]
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe denied that the Imperial Japanese military had forced comfort women into sexual slavery during World War II (which many of us know is a lie) and on the same day in 2006 when he made an apology he went to the Yasukuni Shrine (with other Japanese government officials) which enshrines more than 1,000 convicted war criminals. How does that make his apologies sincere? Looks more like lip service. After doing that any apology that follows just seems like it’s trying to appease but not sincere. South Korea is not without fault, as I mentioned, as its president and government, to my knowledge, has yet to apologize, investigate or truly acknowledge Lai Đại Hàn which is when South Korean soldiers assaulted several Vietnamese women during the war. I’ve listened to and read about the women and from the ones I came across they aren’t happy about how things are now “resolved” in some people’s eyes as they were the victims. Assaulting women is a time old war crime that soldiers/men use. I have yet to come across a story of the soldiers who has willingly participated apologize, accept accountability and all punishment associated with their crime. Instead they hide behind their government and think what they did was excusable “because it’s war” then come home acting like they’re heroes.
You don’t have to play with the Muslim attire whatsoever. It’s a choice just like buying the Japanese inspired pack is. What do you mean by “safe and clean”? It’s not because minorities have a say or because of Muslim inspired attire? I’m going to go with both here for you.
it’s because minorities have a say
– adding that correction
I’m feeling the same. This is ridiculous that they removed something which is actually a part of Japanese culture. This is just not right to call someone’s culture offensive and i think this option could be so cool for some stories that i started making after seeing the trailer and i’m so disappointed. I hope modders make a mod to have this feature back… although i don’t think they will bc the animation will probably be a lil hard to make(idk tho. I’m not a modder so idk if it’s considered easy or hard) but they’re literally calling a goddamn culture offensive like wtf?
J couldn’t agree more I’m so fucking pissed that they removed shrines and the ability to bow at them. Shrines are all over Japan and you can’t avoid them, this is a JAPANESE GAME PACK. Nothing to fucking do with South Korea and if they don’t like it THEY DO NOT HAVE TO BUY THE PACK. So fuck the rest of us outraged that the game is inaccurate right? As long as those people don’t have hurt feelings over something that doesn’t even pertain to them. If there’s a Korean game pack I’m going to make sure and bitch up a storm until culturally iconic things are removed from that pack. Fuck EA and this shit. Don’t ever fix the real issues with the game, just shit that isn’t worth bitching about.
Shrines are still there. You are “outraged” because you can’t bow to them…? Sure. Let’s have a missionary themed pack. If you don’t like it you simply don’t have to buy it. “Doesn’t even pertain to them” if only you knew the history of Shinto 🙂
It’s not a hard concept. The swastika has a long history of a peaceful meaning but that meaning was twisted by more modern happenings. so if they drew inspiration from the original cultures that used swastika patterns it wouldn’t be hard to see why they might not use it in the game. When drawing inspiration from real world cultures for an international game it’s not a bad thing to adjust to accommodate your audience.
There are 1.2 billion muslims in the world. It’s good that a life simulation game has items that let people represent themselves. Pls take you racism somewhere else, the sims should be about inclusivity.
I respect that you aspire for the world to be nicer, I really do, but there is a difference between being racist and wanting historically accurate historical content.
By the same token, it was wrong to remove the Shinto content. Racist, even.
Inclusivity means all thing are allowed. Let muslim people ha e their Muslim specific clothing. You don’t have to wear it and its based off a painful history of colonization like the rising sun was based off ww2 hijabs are just clothing
So Muslim players shouldnt be able to make characters that look like themselves? Like seriously, you must not know what the Sims is supposed to stand for if your saying something so stupid like this. Its literally about being inclusive, you dummy
Lol you’re so stupid, you didn’t even read Nutty’s message. “Let muslim people have their Muslim specific clothing.” They literally said it and you took it to mean the exact opposite.
“TS 4 now is way too political and religious and ideological for my taste” then stop playing cause this obviously isn’t the game for you.I bet you cried your eyes out when they added the lgbtq+ flags lol
People in the Middle East also play this game. Having middle eastern representation in the game is by no means “forcing Islam” on gamers. Now if there was an out of no where a call to prayer that happened it in the game, that would be forcing their religious views on everyone.
They don’t lol The Sims 4 was banned in most Middle Eastern countries since the update that added transgender options (and it was already banned in a good amount of other Middle Eastern countries before for having gay/lesbian relationships). But of course WE have to love and think it’s great that Islam, a religion, is in the base game while The Sims’s team excludes other religions, such as the case here. Anyways imma stop here before y’all get mad.
Uh, where is Islam in the game? There are head scarfs, which are used by a huge variety of cultures, but that’s about it. There’s Christmas trees and Menorahs, representing Christian and Jewish faith, but thinking about it I can’t recall any direct reference in-game to Islam that is on that level.
They had a whole update revolving around Islamic culture. You can be dense and say, “uh, no, not really”, but, if the shrine in the game wasn’t named Shinto Shrine in game, it would, technically, not be a Shinto shrine either. Just like Christmas is called WinterFest, while, obviously, being Christmas.
Islam wasnt FORCED on you in the game. It’s called having a choice. If you are so vocal about it then is it not ok for you for the latin theme stuff? The pride stuff? Or you just have a problem with a piece of cloth for headcovering?
Of all the times I was rooting for EA to ignore this… Seriously, you gave in to a group of people educated to equate Forced Shrine Worship in THEIR country = General Cultural Shrine Worship in A COUNTRY THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO REPRESENT. By giving in to these people, you are basically generalizing a central aspect of Japanese culture and making it about the occupation era in Korea despite the fact that it goes back thousands of years. That is racism. Period.
I was really excited for this game but I am sorry, you are no longer getting my money here. Not that you or those Koreans care. So long as they snuff out Japanese representation via their brutal militaristic past, right?
Imagine being a country trying to move forward and people keep dragging your culture back to a dark era.
100%. I’m not buying this anymore. They basically agreed that Shinto is offensive and not worthy of being represented in the game. That’s so hurtful to me.
Yeah I agree. I know how it feels to have your religion discriminated against based on actions you and the majority had absolutely nothing to do with. That’s what I feel like is happening with this pack and the Shinto religion. It shows EA would rather make it seem like they care than actually making an effort to be inclusive.
I’m assuming someone will mod this in. It’s unfortunate since I do have Japanese sims in my game and one of them I was looking forward to using as a priestess for my gameplay.
I mean come on, we all know EA only did this to cover their own asses. If they actually cared about stuff like this the skin tones would’ve been fixed years ago. They only act when they think they’re gonna get hurt.
Wow i can’t believe they deleted my comment AND blocked my access to the whole website bc i stated my opinion!! How come you didn’t do this to the Koreans? The level of hypocrisy here is unbelievable!
no one owes you anything… they can block you for whatever reason they want
Oh STOP with your Islamophobic comments.
” If others religions can’t be a part of The Sims’ universe… ”
What about the Menorah that was added in the free holiday pack? What about the fact that Winterfest is entirely based on Christmas (a Christian holiday)? What about the Diya that was added? The sims is a life simulator.
Muslim people exist and deserve the EXACT same representation as anyone else on the planet. The sims has never been overtly religious, but it’s important that people are able to at least somewhat represent their own cultures and traditions through their sims.
So does Shinto, by the same argument.
I’m really disappointed in EA. Why are Koreans’ feelings more valid than Japanese people’s feelings?
Because they were the victims of Japan’s war crimes, what’s not clicking?
It’s funny to me since witches weren’t insensitive. And EA trying to be inclusive. Whatever. Witches are real people and not Harry Potter. So if your gonna change that then change the witches. And the babies aren’t furniture how about change that since it’s terrible they are stuck in cribs.
Ikr, pagans always get the short end of the stick. Spellcasters should be removed from the game because pagans are only ever mocked for their beliefs and having a witch inspired pack is participating in the mocking.
It’s not even remotely the same. Stop defending imperialism and war crimes.
I was wondering if that had an influence in why witches and warlocks are just spellcasters instead.
So it isn’t a Japanese pack anymore, it’s South Korean. Got it.
Very disappointed, was excited to see a Japanese world in The Sims 4, but instead developers are changing it to fit South Koreans agenda. Well I hope they enjoy it because I am going to cancell my pre-order.
Honestly this whole thing is turning me off for this pack. I was really excited, and I feel bad for the Japanese and more specifically Shinto practitioners. They’re getting excluded from a pack surrounding their culture and it doesn’t sit right with me. Cultural differences are bound to be offensive across regions, EA shouldn’t have fallen into that group of ignorance.
genocide is not a cultural difference. do you even read the things you write?
EA starting to suck Korea’s cock as well as China.
??? shrines and nazi ally flags are the only things in Japanese culture??? Don’t be purposefully dense.
Now I want to buy the game.
I hope they remove everything about Jungle Adventure then, it’s offensive and extremely colonialist to go on a latin inspired world and steal treasures from there.
Why stop there? The entire game is based on the civilization built from colonializing – sorry, attempting to murder an entire race for your own selfish wants – the Americas, so the whole game is offensive to Native American gamers.
You’re probably being sarcastic but you’re not wrong. It is a tacky concept.
Are those people who say racism out of their minds? Korea and Japan are the same race.
I think the decision of this ea was very right, and the idiots who say it’s just culture.
Nazi’s a German “culture,” so that’s okay, right? If you don’t know, just stay still.
Are you calling the Shinto religion Nazi? So racist.
Couldn’t they still make the shrine and bow and option we can turn on? I was hoping I could recreate a Japanese drama in the game with that scene. Sorry, I know its offensive. This is a game and I was so excited for this pack now this makes me sad.
Yea I would’ve liked that option but I guess a modder will have to unlock it if possible. I don’t know if it will be interactive at all now.
Thank you to the comment section and the Sims community at large for showing yourselves to be a bunch of fake-woke white folks who are happy to take up their White Man’s Burden to fix other people’s problems for them. Thank you also for exposing the absolute inane end of these purity tests, whereby you ‘solved’ the issue of a few people in one wounded culture by erasing elements of another.
The way you all talk about this shirt you’d think it featured a giant red sun and an Zero on it. And let’s be real, we’re talking about an art element on a piece of clothing that if you squint at it and change the color and also completely change the design of looks like the Rising Sun flag. The thing is, I am so willing to bet 99.99% of you upset about this had no idea about the Rising Sun flag before a few days ago, and now that you’ve seen a post from a Korean player you consider yourselves expert. Heck, I bet most of you read “zero” and thought I was talking about the number and not something related the Japanese war effort and are only now realizing “oops, I didn’t know as much as I thought I did,” getting red in the face because you need to save face in a witty, cutting response that cancels me and cuts me down to size.
And we’re also talking about a Japanese religious custom that Japanese people still do. This pack isn’t even set in Korea! It’s not even really set in Japan to be technical, it’s set in a fake made-up video game world. But that’s apparently not the point to so many. This did not in any way resemble the atrocities of forced emperor worship. This action was completely optional. There wasn’t an NPC saying “if you don’t bow here, you’re dead.” I can’t shake my head enough.
Because if we’re going to start going down this road of expunging any sign of colonialism, literally this game shouldn’t exist. The Selvadorada pack, with its conquistador-inspired architecture and its allowing white sims to waltz in to temples belonging to brown-skinned civilizations presumably killed by Sims Europeans and dig up their ancient artifacts to bring home or sell without permission amounts to downright theft. Willing to bet you’re one of those people who demands that museums in the real world repatriate indigenous people’s artifacts (I agree, incidentally), but here you have no problem apparently when the game clashes with your real-life beliefs? Or the fact that Strangerville, set in the deserts of the US west, acts a reminder of American Western Expansionism which kept displacing Native Americans. No problem with that? And dare I mention the plantation-style architecture of Willow Grove…
And if we’re REALLY going to go down this road, you’re gonna need to open those history books a little wider and look at why Japan was waging a war against its neighbors. It was, after all, rooted in Japan’s reaction to Western Imperialism. Japan’s atrocities ultimately lie in large part at the feet of Commodore Perry of the US Navy as he steamed into Tokyo Bay, scaring the crap out of the Japanese leadership as they saw what Europeans were doing to their neighbors (you know, things like the British pushing drugs on the Chinese to get them addicted, and then justifying a war against China when the Chinese said “don’t do that,” and dispossessing kingdom after kingdom of its agency in the name of Capitalism and Commerce) and said “let’s not let that happen to us,” and chose to basically fight back against Western Imperialism by trying to beat the Westerners at their own game. How about that? So let’s just go ahead and delete the entire Sims franchise, because it’s a representation of Western family styles and ideas that led to the subjugation of an entire continent. Willing to bet most of you so upset about this have no inkling of the iceberg you’re standing on, you’re happy to look at the top of the tip and claim you know better.
And you act like Korea is an innocent, wounded party here just waiting for Japan to apologize and then forgive with open arms. Not true. Korea, like Japan, is a very conservative country by US standards and they treat the Japanese war atrocities the way Republicans here treat 9/11, as something “WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET” but they’ve forgotten the actual lessons of. Japan has apologized many times. Clumsily, yes, and often undermined by other jingoistic politicians in Japan who try to gloss over the reality of their atrocities. But an apology also only matters when it’s actually going to be received by someone who wants to hear it.
For example:
Did you know that the Japanese attempted to give reparations to the comfort women, or women they forced into prostitution from Korea? Look it up, it was called the Asian Woman’s Fund, created in the 1990s, to attempt to continue their string of apology attempts, but the Koreans were so unwilling to actually receive an apology that the KOREANS killed the reparations which the Japanese were trying to offer.
So Korea parrots the claim that Japan hasn’t apologized. Japan has apologized, literally dozens of times to Korea (google “Japanese apologies for World War II”). Has it done it sufficiently? Probably not. But it doesn’t help that the Koreans stick their fingers in their ears any time Japan actually tries, and actively blocks more sincere attempts. All the while teaching their young that Japan is still their enemy.
You know the worst part? The way you’ve treated *actual Korean* players. *Some* Koreans thought EA should address this, not all. And how did you treat that? In the comments section of the last article about this, one of you literally told a Korean player that if they weren’t as outraged as you that they weren’t actually Korean.
What. The. Actual. Fuck.
Like, I don’t even know how to respond to that besides to say how dare you! How dare you treat someone like that! You are ignorant and you don’t even want to acknowledge it! Someone didn’t pass your purity test, and therefore you must minimize them. Just like the white colonizers before you, you tell them how to feel about their own history.
In your eagerness to show your devotion to the Cult of Being Right, you left zero room for the people actually affected by this, the Koreans and Japanese, to voice their thoughts.
People like you are why Trump got elected. You make actual activists look ridiculous by your insatiable desire to Be Woke. Like when all those woke white folks on twitter commandeered the BLM tags for a while so “black out twitter” with black boxes for profile photos, which meant that rather than people looking for information and education by searching those hashtags instead they got posts from a bunch of self-righteous white folks talking about how important it was for them to take part in this futile twitter exercise that changed zero laws and improved the conditions of zero BIPOC. Trump supporters see that and laugh, and people who might be on the margin of actually wanting to educate themselves and awaken from their ignorance look at this dumpster fire and say “no, I don’t wanna be part of that.”
Well done. You’ve exposed the futility of all this. I hope you’re proud. I said before I was done with the sims community, and now I meant it. None of you are worth my time or energy anymore. Feel free to respond away, I’m sure your echo chamber will be more than happy to agree.
Shut up, imperialist Nazi bootlicker.
I don’t know how I feel about this one, to be honest. I know it’s so important to be sensitive towards all peoples and cultures, but… if we’re going down routes like this, taking inspiration from specific cultures will end and everything will become very, very bland and grey. Almost every culture has hurt and/or offended another at some point in history. If we erased or refused to acknowledge all the things in our cultures that have sadly, at some time, been used negatively against others whilst being weaponised in the hands of the wrong people, none of us would even have our own cultures anymore. Perhaps it’s a bit deep when we’re “only talking about a game” but I also feel like disallowing/erasing certain important aspects of a culture will eventually lead to ignorance about the negative impacts those things had on others as well, because in the end, people just won’t know anything at all about them either way. I just think it’s important to be able to both celebrate our cultures and acknowledge the bad aspects of them. We can’t learn from them otherwise. It doesn’t quite sit right with me that being sensitive and understanding to one culture should include the removal of important aspects of another.
I think you need to step back and reconsider why you feel the need to justify and defend literal Nazi allies and genocide.
I promise you there’s more to Japanese culture than imperialist imagery.
Many Muslim leaders are dictators. That doesn’t make the Muslim religion bad. Same goes for the Shinto religion, which existed long before and will exist long after the South Korean occupation. You are displaying racism and religious intolerance. You are no different than people who protested hijabs and the menorah in the game.
I suppose I get the rising sun imagery, but why the shrine bowing? That’s a massive part of Shintō in Japan– it’s a traditional sacred practice that’s been going on for absolutely centuries.
I get the whole trying to be sensitive and woke stuff, but… why are you erasing an integral part of Japanese culture? Isn’t that insensitive?
Most Japanese people are atheist so it’s not ready an integral part of their culture lol if you don’t understand why it’s insensitive then you need to go pick up a history book, idk what to tell you.
I wonder if EA will try to avoid Asian inspired worlds in the future and just stick with general things like in city living or patches. This will be disappointing of course as it was nice to see a world that was less suburb “American”/Westernize influence (since Jungle Adventure?). I still don’t understand the logic of asking a Korean person about a Japanese inspired back just as I wouldn’t see the logic in asking a Japanese person about a Korean/South Korean pack. I guess they’ll have to do a round table and have input from everyone, including whites and minorities outside the community they’re trying to represent which may cause future controversaries but maybe not as big as this.
I’m sure the koreans colonised by japan 100 years ago are very happy to hear that, wherever they are truly a giant accomplishment for social justice to have these bunch of pixels not do a simulated slight bow towards another bunch of pixels all peace is now restored
I can’t believe we are losing content due to racism and religious intolerance. It’s as offensive as if hijabs and the Menorah were removed from the game. I’m disgusted with the intolerant players.
So 100 year old Koreans are playing the Sims, cause they would be only ones who have the right to say something. But if not, then being an American I should hate the entire pack cause its base upon Japan who bombed Pearl Harbor during that same war. Even though I wasn’t born nor did I know anyone. But this is the Society that we live in now. People wants to throw #Cancel at everything and anything, so why not the entire Japan praying system, that has become a stable and Tourist attraction for many years. Its just ridiculous, and its just a way to hate on something that is being popular at the moment. Its a pack about Japanese Culture. Wait a few more, you’ll get your Korean pack. So in other words, unlike the Koreans who are for some reason upset, I’m letting the WWII history go and can’t wait for this pack, I’ve been wanting this type of pack for while. When I do get it, I’m going to the shrine and wish for the haters to be gone. Because this pack is going to be amazing, and its insulting that one Culture is tearing up another that happened in 1920-30s. Its pretty pathetic and disgusting to go after a video game.
If people want to bring WWII in all this, then Japanese People should be hating that a big “American” company like EA is using their culture to bring in money. For what America did to their own homeland, and not to mention the Japanese people who were living in America’s own semi-Concentration camps (internment). If you all want to be technical. So yeah, Americans should have a right to same something, by saying we can’t voice our opinions, is first going against our own homeland’s Amendments. So if I want to say something I believe in, I will voice it. Even if people hate it, and insult my thoughts, at least I can let out all the frustrations that this day an age gives in to. Fs in the chat for Planet Earth, cause were all doomed if keep living in the past.
Really disappointed with how EA is handling it.
I’m sorry to hear that some Korean people feel offended by the shrine, but it’s really just an important part of Japanese culture which has nothing to do to with any war crime, while EA tries to respect these Korean people, wouldn’t it be disrespectful to Japanese people? The interaction with the shrine is what making it fun and authentic, since there are already so many CC of shrines out there.
As everyone has pointed out, anything could be offensive to some people, even when they are just common objects in the real world. If that’s a reason why something shouldn’t be added to the game, then what’s the point of having a simulation game?
And for the sunrising pattern, it is so clear that they are just hand fans, but EA doesn’t bother to explain at all, so I think EA is in a way dodging the complaints by removing things.
I should now complain how much I’m offended by those ugly hairstyles and outfits, would EA respect me and remove them please?
EA is literally setting a precedent that makes it OK to discriminate
against Japanese culture/religion, and allow Japan to be equated to Nazi
Germany. Why even bother making a Japanese world at all, if they’re so worried about Koreans getting offended at Japanese culture that is actually practiced in Japan? This is the most hypocritical thing I’ve ever heard, because TS2’s Bon Voyage had a Japanese world that let sims pray at Shinto shrines. Is EAxis gonna go and remove those shrines now, too?
I can’t believe we are losing content due to racism and religious intolerance. It’s as offensive as if hijabs and the Menorah were removed from the game. I’m disgusted with the intolerant players.
So 100 year old Koreans are playing the Sims, cause they would be only ones who have the right to say something. But if not, then being an American I should hate the entire pack cause its base upon Japan who bombed Pearl Harbor during that same war. Even though I wasn’t born nor did I know anyone. But this is the Society that we live in now. People wants to throw #Cancel at everything and anything, so why not the entire Japan praying system, that has become a stable and Tourist attraction for many years. Its just ridiculous, and its just a way to hate on something that is being popular at the moment. Its a pack about Japanese Culture. Wait a few more, you’ll get your Korean pack. So in other words, unlike the Koreans who are for some reason upset, I’m letting the WWII history go and can’t wait for this pack, I’ve been wanting this type of pack for while. When I do get it, I’m going to the shrine and wish for the haters to be gone. Because this pack is going to be amazing, and its insulting that one Culture is tearing up another that happened in 1920-30s. Its pretty pathetic and disgusting to go after a video game.
If people want to bring WWII in all this, then Japanese People should be hating that a big “American” company like EA is using their culture to bring in money. For what America did to their own homeland, and not to mention the Japanese people who were living in America’s own semi-Concentration camps (internment). If you all want to be technical. So yeah, Americans should have a right to same something, by saying we can’t voice our opinions, is first going against our own homeland’s Amendments. So if I want to say something I believe in, I will voice it. Even if people hate it, and insult my thoughts, at least I can let out all the frustrations that this day an age gives in to. Fs in the chat for Planet Earth, cause were all doomed if keep living in the past.
So it isn’t a Japanese pack anymore, it’s South Korean. Got it.
Very disappointed, was excited to see a Japanese world in The Sims 4, but instead developers are changing it to fit South Koreans agenda. Well I hope they enjoy it because I am going to cancell my pre-order.
Honestly this whole thing is turning me off for this pack. I was really excited, and I feel bad for the Japanese and more specifically Shinto practitioners. They’re getting excluded from a pack surrounding their culture and it doesn’t sit right with me. Cultural differences are bound to be offensive across regions, EA shouldn’t have fallen into that group of ignorance.
I don’t know how I feel about this one, to be honest. I know it’s so important to be sensitive towards all peoples and cultures, but… if we’re going down routes like this, taking inspiration from specific cultures will end and everything will become very, very bland and grey. Almost every culture has hurt and/or offended another at some point in history. If we erased or refused to acknowledge all the things in our cultures that have sadly, at some time, been used negatively against others whilst being weaponised in the hands of the wrong people, none of us would even have our own cultures anymore. Perhaps it’s a bit deep when we’re “only talking about a game” but I also feel like disallowing/erasing certain important aspects of a culture will eventually lead to ignorance about the negative impacts those things had on others as well, because in the end, people just won’t know anything at all about them either way. I just think it’s important to be able to both celebrate our cultures and acknowledge the bad aspects of them. We can’t learn from them otherwise. It doesn’t quite sit right with me that being sensitive and understanding to one culture should include the removal of important aspects of another.
Now I want to buy the game.
Are those people who say racism out of their minds? Korea and Japan are the same race.
I think the decision of this ea was very right, and the idiots who say it’s just culture.
Nazi’s a German “culture,” so that’s okay, right? If you don’t know, just stay still.
You do know that this symbol on the flag you’re talking about is from Asia, right? It’s not even European.
Maybe EA should turn TS 4 into a history education game so people get some knowldge about symbols, when it was used for the first time, how it was used, how it’s used now etc…
I hope they remove everything about Jungle Adventure then, it’s offensive and extremely colonialist to go on a latin inspired world and steal treasures from there.
Couldn’t they still make the shrine and bow and option we can turn on? I was hoping I could recreate a Japanese drama in the game with that scene. Sorry, I know its offensive. This is a game and I was so excited for this pack now this makes me sad.
Yea I would’ve liked that option but I guess a modder will have to unlock it if possible. I don’t know if it will be interactive at all now.
Thank you to the comment section and the Sims community at large for showing yourselves to be a bunch of fake-woke white folks who are happy to take up their White Man’s Burden to fix other people’s problems for them. Thank you also for exposing the absolute inane end of these purity tests, whereby you ‘solved’ the issue of a few people in one wounded culture by erasing elements of another.
The way you all talk about this shirt you’d think it featured a giant red sun and an Zero on it. And let’s be real, we’re talking about an art element on a piece of clothing that if you squint at it and change the color and also completely change the design of looks like the Rising Sun flag. The thing is, I am so willing to bet 99.99% of you upset about this had no idea about the Rising Sun flag before a few days ago, and now that you’ve seen a post from a Korean player you consider yourselves expert. Heck, I bet most of you read “zero” and thought I was talking about the number and not something related the Japanese war effort and are only now realizing “oops, I didn’t know as much as I thought I did,” getting red in the face because you need to save face in a witty, cutting response that cancels me and cuts me down to size.
And we’re also talking about a Japanese religious custom that Japanese people still do. This pack isn’t even set in Korea! It’s not even really set in Japan to be technical, it’s set in a fake made-up video game world. But that’s apparently not the point to so many. This did not in any way resemble the atrocities of forced emperor worship. This action was completely optional. There wasn’t an NPC saying “if you don’t bow here, you’re dead.” I can’t shake my head enough.
Because if we’re going to start going down this road of expunging any sign of colonialism, literally this game shouldn’t exist. The Selvadorada pack, with its conquistador-inspired architecture and its allowing white sims to waltz in to temples belonging to brown-skinned civilizations presumably killed by Sims Europeans and dig up their ancient artifacts to bring home or sell without permission amounts to downright theft. Willing to bet you’re one of those people who demands that museums in the real world repatriate indigenous people’s artifacts (I agree, incidentally), but here you have no problem apparently when the game clashes with your real-life beliefs? Or the fact that Strangerville, set in the deserts of the US west, acts a reminder of American Western Expansionism which kept displacing Native Americans. No problem with that? And dare I mention the plantation-style architecture of Willow Grove…
And if we’re REALLY going to go down this road, you’re gonna need to open those history books a little wider and look at why Japan was waging a war against its neighbors. It was, after all, rooted in Japan’s reaction to Western Imperialism. Japan’s atrocities ultimately lie in large part at the feet of Commodore Perry of the US Navy as he steamed into Tokyo Bay, scaring the crap out of the Japanese leadership as they saw what Europeans were doing to their neighbors (you know, things like the British pushing drugs on the Chinese to get them addicted, and then justifying a war against China when the Chinese said “don’t do that,” and dispossessing kingdom after kingdom of its agency in the name of Capitalism and Commerce) and said “let’s not let that happen to us,” and chose to basically fight back against Western Imperialism by trying to beat the Westerners at their own game. How about that? So let’s just go ahead and delete the entire Sims franchise, because it’s a representation of Western family styles and ideas that led to the subjugation of an entire continent. Willing to bet most of you so upset about this have no inkling of the iceberg you’re standing on, you’re happy to look at the top of the tip and claim you know better.
And you act like Korea is an innocent, wounded party here just waiting for Japan to apologize and then forgive with open arms. Not true. Korea, like Japan, is a very conservative country by US standards and they treat the Japanese war atrocities the way Republicans here treat 9/11, as something “WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET” but they’ve forgotten the actual lessons of. Japan has apologized many times. Clumsily, yes, and often undermined by other jingoistic politicians in Japan who try to gloss over the reality of their atrocities. But an apology also only matters when it’s actually going to be received by someone who wants to hear it.
For example:
Did you know that the Japanese attempted to give reparations to the comfort women, or women they forced into prostitution from Korea? Look it up, it was called the Asian Woman’s Fund, created in the 1990s, to attempt to continue their string of apology attempts, but the Koreans were so unwilling to actually receive an apology that the KOREANS killed the reparations which the Japanese were trying to offer.
So Korea parrots the claim that Japan hasn’t apologized. Japan has apologized, literally dozens of times to Korea (google “Japanese apologies for World War II”). Has it done it sufficiently? Probably not. But it doesn’t help that the Koreans stick their fingers in their ears any time Japan actually tries, and actively blocks more sincere attempts. All the while teaching their young that Japan is still their enemy.
You know the worst part? The way you’ve treated *actual Korean* players. *Some* Koreans thought EA should address this, not all. And how did you treat that? In the comments section of the last article about this, one of you literally told a Korean player that if they weren’t as outraged as you that they weren’t actually Korean.
What. The. Actual. Fuck.
Like, I don’t even know how to respond to that besides to say how dare you! How dare you treat someone like that! You are ignorant and you don’t even want to acknowledge it! Someone didn’t pass your purity test, and therefore you must minimize them. Just like the white colonizers before you, you tell them how to feel about their own history.
In your eagerness to show your devotion to the Cult of Being Right, you left zero room for the people actually affected by this, the Koreans and Japanese, to voice their thoughts.
People like you are why Trump got elected. You make actual activists look ridiculous by your insatiable desire to Be Woke. Like when all those woke white folks on twitter commandeered the BLM tags for a while so “black out twitter” with black boxes for profile photos, which meant that rather than people looking for information and education by searching those hashtags instead they got posts from a bunch of self-righteous white folks talking about how important it was for them to take part in this futile twitter exercise that changed zero laws and improved the conditions of zero BIPOC. Trump supporters see that and laugh, and people who might be on the margin of actually wanting to educate themselves and awaken from their ignorance look at this dumpster fire and say “no, I don’t wanna be part of that.”
Well done. You’ve exposed the futility of all this. I hope you’re proud. I said before I was done with the sims community, and now I meant it. None of you are worth my time or energy anymore. Feel free to respond away, I’m sure your echo chamber will be more than happy to agree.
I’m surprised anyone even read that
I suppose I get the rising sun imagery, but why the shrine bowing? That’s a massive part of Shintō in Japan– it’s a traditional sacred practice that’s been going on for absolutely centuries.
I get the whole trying to be sensitive and woke stuff, but… why are you erasing an integral part of Japanese culture? Isn’t that insensitive?
I wonder if EA will try to avoid Asian inspired worlds in the future and just stick with general things like in city living or patches. This will be disappointing of course as it was nice to see a world that was less suburb “American”/Westernize influence (since Jungle Adventure?). I still don’t understand the logic of asking a Korean person about a Japanese inspired back just as I wouldn’t see the logic in asking a Japanese person about a Korean/South Korean pack. I guess they’ll have to do a round table and have input from everyone, including whites and minorities outside the community they’re trying to represent which may cause future controversaries but maybe not as big as this.
Probably doesn’t help that you can’t win either way in today’s world. If you ask Japanese people to do Japanese things you might be called racist even though the reason is to not have racist or insensitive mistakes occur. If you have someone who’s not then a mishap could happen like the one in this pack and everyone asks why they didn’t have this person or that person
I’m sure the koreans colonised by japan 100 years ago are very happy to hear that, wherever they are truly a giant accomplishment for social justice to have these bunch of pixels not do a simulated slight bow towards another bunch of pixels all peace is now restored
People in the Middle East also play this game. Having middle eastern representation in the game is by no means “forcing Islam” on gamers. Now if there was an out of no where a call to prayer that happened it in the game, that would be forcing their religious views on everyone.
They don’t lol The Sims 4 was banned in most Middle Eastern countries since the update that added transgender options (and it was already banned in a good amount of other Middle Eastern countries before for having gay/lesbian relationships). But of course WE have to love and think it’s great that Islam, a religion, is in the base game while The Sims’s team excludes other religions, such as the case here. Anyways imma stop here before y’all get mad.
So Muslims only exist in the Middle East? No other countries?
Uh, where is Islam in the game? There are head scarfs, which are used by a huge variety of cultures, but that’s about it. There’s Christmas trees and Menorahs, representing Christian and Jewish faith, but thinking about it I can’t recall any direct reference in-game to Islam that is on that level.
They had a whole update revolving around Islamic culture. You can be dense and say, “uh, no, not really”, but, if the shrine in the game wasn’t named Shinto Shrine in game, it would, technically, not be a Shinto shrine either. Just like Christmas is called WinterFest, while, obviously, being Christmas.
Wow i can’t believe they deleted my comment AND blocked my access to the whole website bc i stated my opinion!! How come you didn’t do this to the Koreans? The level of hypocrisy here is unbelievable!
no one owes you anything… they can block you for whatever reason they want
Islam wasnt FORCED on you in the game. It’s called having a choice. If you are so vocal about it then is it not ok for you for the latin theme stuff? The pride stuff? Or you just have a problem with a piece of cloth for headcovering?
It’s funny to me since witches weren’t insensitive. And EA trying to be inclusive. Whatever. Witches are real people and not Harry Potter. So if your gonna change that then change the witches. And the babies aren’t furniture how about change that since it’s terrible they are stuck in cribs.
Ikr, pagans always get the short end of the stick. Spellcasters should be removed from the game because pagans are only ever mocked for their beliefs and having a witch inspired pack is participating in the mocking.
I was wondering if that had an influence in why witches and warlocks are just spellcasters instead.
Of all the times I was rooting for EA to ignore this… Seriously, you gave in to a group of people educated to equate Forced Shrine Worship in THEIR country = General Cultural Shrine Worship in A COUNTRY THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO REPRESENT. By giving in to these people, you are basically generalizing a central aspect of Japanese culture and making it about the occupation era in Korea despite the fact that it goes back thousands of years. That is racism. Period.
I was really excited for this game but I am sorry, you are no longer getting my money here. Not that you or those Koreans care. So long as they snuff out Japanese representation via their brutal militaristic past, right?
Imagine being a country trying to move forward and people keep dragging your culture back to a dark era.
100%. I’m not buying this anymore. They basically agreed that Shinto is offensive and not worthy of being represented in the game. That’s so hurtful to me.
Yeah I agree. I know how it feels to have your religion discriminated against based on actions you and the majority had absolutely nothing to do with. That’s what I feel like is happening with this pack and the Shinto religion. It shows EA would rather make it seem like they care than actually making an effort to be inclusive.
I’m assuming someone will mod this in. It’s unfortunate since I do have Japanese sims in my game and one of them I was looking forward to using as a priestess for my gameplay.
I mean come on, we all know EA only did this to cover their own asses. If they actually cared about stuff like this the skin tones would’ve been fixed years ago. They only act when they think they’re gonna get hurt.
Then I truly hope the Japanese simmers speak up. Since this pack is about their culture their voice shouldn’t be less important than others. Heck, it’s probably more important.
I’m really disappointed in EA. Why are Koreans’ feelings more valid than Japanese people’s feelings?
Oh STOP with your Islamophobic comments.
” If others religions can’t be a part of The Sims’ universe… ”
What about the Menorah that was added in the free holiday pack? What about the fact that Winterfest is entirely based on Christmas (a Christian holiday)? What about the Diya that was added? The sims is a life simulator.
Muslim people exist and deserve the EXACT same representation as anyone else on the planet. The sims has never been overtly religious, but it’s important that people are able to at least somewhat represent their own cultures and traditions through their sims.
So does Shinto, by the same argument.
Good for South Korean gamer maxis still think of their fan then
Good on them for fixing this quickly but I hope this means future complaints won’t take 6+ years to address and correct.
Not sure if I will buy it now; we are still forced to have muslim stuff in our game but for Koreans they remove it although you don’t even have to play with it…
So yeah I guess Christs should have start a shitstorm too to keep their game safe and clean.
(I’d prefer a politics & religious free game anyway but TS 4 now is way too political and religious and ideological for my taste :/
Inclusivity means all thing are allowed. Let muslim people ha e their Muslim specific clothing. You don’t have to wear it and its based off a painful history of colonization like the rising sun was based off ww2 hijabs are just clothing
“hijabs are just clothing”
No, they aren’t. It stands for discrimination of females and fundamentalism. Don’t you know how many islamistic attacks are done all the time in Europe during the past 5 years? Even last week there have been 2 (small) again. So you think being in danger all the time because of islamistic attacks in Christian European countries, plus the mass rapes done by moslems too is less painful than something that’s almost 100 years ago?
(The yellow stripes weren’t even the Japanese flag, Koreans just turn it into that.)
“hijabs are just clothing”
No, they aren’t. It stands for discrimination of females and fundamentalism. Don’t you know how many islamistic attacks are done all the time in Europe during the past 5 years? Even last week there have been 2 (small) again. So you think being in danger all the time because of islamistic attacks in Christian European countries, plus the mass rapes done by moslems too is less painful than something that’s almost 100 years ago?
(The yellow stripes weren’t even the Japanese flag, Koreans just turn it into that.)
Isn’t it interesting how in the states domestic terrorism is done by whites but hardly spoken about in the way attacks by muslim extremists in other countries are? White domestic terrorists have a long, long history of bombing places including buses with school children, murders including doing so in public, mass shootings and rapes and getting away with it or somehow surviving being taken into custody (yes even with snipers involved) while a minority minding their business gets harassed to death by similar cops. We’ve had several domestic terrorist attacks in the states carried out by white males that often believe/grew up with Christian beliefs. Just recently a group of white males kidnapped a governor because they were mad she took the covid pandemic seriously and were egged on by the current president who encourages these white terrorist groups and think somehow they’re good people. Many of our white domestic terrorists spew racist chants and consider themselves either sympathizers or part of the KKK or Nazis. And some have used their religion to justify evil acts like rape, racism, slavery and incest. Many of those things are still occurring but no one talks about it compared to if it were Muslims doing this sort of thing out in the open. We have people who practice the Muslim Faith always having to apologize for extremists meanwhile again when white terrorists start attacking or harassing we don’t see leaders from Christian or Catholic Churches saying anything. If they do it’s usually in general terms and never after each attack meanwhile Muslims are required or pressured to apologize each time even when they personally weren’t involved.
The situation within the USA is different to the situation within Europe; in every aspect. You can start with black Americans and ending with the amount of weapons like guns everyone can easily buy there and killing each other with that or just killing blacks without going to jail for murder someone.
I’m talking about the European situation. While the Muslims in the USA might apologize the Moslems (certain groups who live in Europe) celebrate each attack. They never apologize at all plus they’re invading Europe as so-called refugees instead of going to other muslimic countries with same or at least similar traditions, befliefs, religion.
If EA removes some yellow stripes pattern that doesn’t look like a red sun flag they should remove religious symbols that stand for terrorism and suppression of females.
Since you mentioned KKK did you see any of these clothings in the Sims? I didn’t but if you’d be right that there are also such discriminating symbols but since there aren’T the hijab is the only religous symbol in the game that is offensive.
(There are neither crosses with Jesus, nor Christian flags from the Crusade time.)
You also threw real life wars into it: So what do you think why don’t the moslems neevr help each other? Neither in the way of taking their religious brothers and sisters in nor in the way of doing something against the wars? Where is the solidarity between them?
If you look at the long war era in Eurooe, people always escaped to neighbour countries with similar traditions and religion; none of them thought okay, let’s go in millions to Arabia or Middle East … but that’s what the Moslems are doing now for years….
(and the presidents you mentioned are also responsible for that…)
You don’t have to play with the Muslim attire whatsoever. It’s a choice just like buying the Japanese inspired pack is. What do you mean by “safe and clean”? It’s not because minorities have a say or because of Muslim inspired attire? I’m going to go with both here for you.
it’s because minorities have a say
– adding that correction
I explained it in my reply to Emelia.
If EA kept its promise to NOT attach this (muslim hijab and swimming suit) by default to OWN sims everything would have been finde but instead they programmed it in the way that it’s automatically sticking to my sims girls after aging up so they are ‘proper’ muslims WTF
I doubt that muslims would enjoy suddenly having cross accessory as naecklace on their sims or being dressed with dessous after aging up or something like that.
“safe and clean” = no trigger for actual real life trauma like mass rape, terrorism, murder – look what happened in France again last week.
So if EA really wants to offer a ‘safe and nice enviroment’ in their Sims games they should either keep such things out like it was done in the past or make them available as optional download so everyone really has ‘the’ game one wants.
Okay? Lol. Contact them to let them know the issue persists, don’t just whine about it in a comment. Change your Sims attire if it pops up. I can’t think of a single simmer who just ages up or randomizes Sims and doesn’t customize them after. There is no reason to be offended by it unless you have some sort of issue with the faith itself, which is your problem. They are options in CAS, being applied randomly doesn’t suddenly make your Sim Muslim or force you into anything. Muslim simmers have to go in and manually select those items themselves if they want to use them, you aren’t special.
Besides, Headscarves and modest swimwear are not only worn by Muslim women.
I suggest analyzing your frustration instead of spending your time on here. Hopefully you’ve done so since this comment.
I explained it in my reply to Emelia.
If EA kept its promise to NOT attach this (muslim hijab and swimming suit) by default to OWN sims everything would have been finde but instead they programmed it in the way that it’s automatically sticking to my sims girls after aging up so they are ‘proper’ muslims WTF
I doubt that muslims would enjoy suddenly having cross accessory as naecklace on their sims or being dressed with dessous after aging up or something like that.
“safe and clean” = no trigger for actual real life trauma like mass rape, terrorism, murder – look what happened in France again last week.
So if EA really wants to offer a ‘safe and nice enviroment’ in their Sims games they should either keep such things out like it was done in the past or make them available as optional download so everyone really has ‘the’ game one wants.
PS:
Why not just redesigning the shrine in something fantasy like? This animation would have been so great for any kind of fantasy or Medieval story gameplay that’s not even related to Korea / ASIA because then modders could just add different tools and it’ll be even possible to play some Dark Sorcerer storyline or so …. also with the nature elementals that probably were summoned by bowing in front of the shrine…
That may have worked initially but not after the controversary. Shinto has been apart of Japan for centuries long before their crimes against Korea. There are actions Japan has yet to apologize to South Korean about. Obviously SK does have its many flaws and faults when it comes to other countries but not in the case of the war crimes Japan inflicted. It’s disappointing how issues and tensions between their governments has some Koreans lashing out at anything Japanese related.
Stop spreading lies Rene.
June 22, 1965: Minister of Foreign Affairs Shiina Etsusaburo said to the people of South Korea: “In our two countries’ long history there have been unfortunate times, it is truly regrettable and we are deeply remorseful” (Signing of the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and South Korea).
August 26, 1982: Chief Cabinet Secretary Kiichi Miyazawa said to the people of the Republic of Korea: “1. The Japanese Government and the Japanese people are deeply aware of the fact that acts by our country in the past caused tremendous suffering and damage to the peoples of Asian countries, including the Republic of Korea (ROK) and China, and have followed the path of a pacifist state with remorse and determination that such acts must never be repeated. Japan has recognized, in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, of 1965, that the ‘past relations are regrettable, and Japan feels deep remorse,’ and in the Japan-China Joint Communique, that Japan is ‘keenly conscious of the responsibility for the serious damage that Japan caused in the past to the Chinese people through war and deeply reproaches itself.’ These statements confirm Japan’s remorse and determination which I stated above and this recognition has not changed at all to this day. 2. This spirit in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, and the Japan-China Joint Communique, naturally should also be respected in Japan’s school education and textbook authorization.
1989: Prime Minister Takeshita Noboru, in a speech in the Japanese Diet, said: “As we have made clear previously at repeated opportunities, the Japanese government and the Japanese people are deeply conscious of the fact that the actions of our country in the past caused suffering and loss to many people in neighboring countries. Starting from our regret and resolve not to repeat such things a second time, we have followed a course as a “Peace Nation” since then. This awareness and regret should be emphasized especially in the relationship between our countries and the Korean Peninsula, our nearest neighbors both geographically and historically. At this opportunity as we face a new situation in the Korean Peninsula, again, to all peoples of the globe, concerning the relationship of the past, we want to express our deep regret and sorrow” (Speech in the Japanese Diet).
April 18, 1990: Minister of Foreign Affairs Taro Nakayama said to the people of South Korea: “Japan is deeply sorry for the tragedy in which these (Korean) people were moved to Sakhalin not of their own free will but by the design of the Japanese government and had to remain there after the conclusion of the war” (188th National Diet Session Lower House Committee of Foreign Affairs).[12]
May 25, 1990: Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu, in a meeting with President Roh Tae Woo, said: “I would like to take the opportunity here to humbly reflect upon how the people of the Korean Peninsula went through unbearable pain and sorrow as a result of our country’s actions during a certain period in the past and to express that we are sorry” (Summit meeting with President Roh Tae Woo in Japan).[14]
January 17, 1992: Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, at a policy speech on a visit to South Korea, said:. “What we should not forget about relationship between our nation and your nation is a fact that there was a certain period in the thousands of years of our company when we were the victimizer and you were the victim. I would like to once again express a heartfelt remorse and apology for the unbearable suffering and sorrow that you experienced during this period because of our nation’s act.” Recently the issue of the so-called ‘wartime comfort women’ is being brought up. I think that incidents like this are seriously heartbreaking, and I am truly sorry”.[16]
July 6, 1992. Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Kato said: “The Government again would like to express its sincere apology and remorse to all those who have suffered indescribable hardship as so-called ‘wartime comfort women,’ irrespective of their nationality or place of birth. With profound remorse and determination that such a mistake must never be repeated, Japan will maintain its stance as a pacifist nation and will endeavor to build up new future-oriented relations with the Republic of Korea and with other countries and regions in Asia. As I listen to many people, I feel truly grieved for this issue. By listening to the opinions of people from various directions, I would like to consider sincerely in what way we can express our feelings to those who suffered such hardship”
June 23, 1996: Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said in a press conference: “Hashimoto mentioned the aspects of Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula such as the forced Japanization of Korean people’s name and commented “It is beyond imagination how this injured the hearts of Korean people”. Hashimoto also touched on the issue of Korean comfort women and said “Nothing injured the honor and dignity of women more than this and I would like to extend words of deep remorse and the heartfelt apology”
October 8, 1996: Emperor Akihito said in a speech at a dinner with the South Korean president, Kim Dae Jung: “There was a period when our nation brought to bear great sufferings upon the people of the Korean Peninsula.” “The deep sorrow that I feel over this will never be forgotten”.
October 8, 1998: Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi said in a declaration: “Looking back on the relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea during this century, Prime Minister Obuchi regarded in a spirit of humility the fact of history that Japan caused, during a certain period in the past, tremendous damage and suffering to the people of the Republic of Korea through its colonial rule, and expressed his deep remorse and heartfelt apology for this fact. President Kim accepted with sincerity this statement of Prime Minister Obuchi’s recognition of history and expressed his appreciation for it. He also expressed his view that the present calls upon both countries to overcome their unfortunate history and to build a future-oriented relationship based on reconciliation as well as good-neighborly and friendly cooperation” (Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration A New Japan-South Korea Partnership towards the Twenty-first Century).[31]
September 17, 2002: Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said: “The Japanese side regards, in a spirit of humility, the facts of history that Japan caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of Korea through its colonial rule in the past, and expressed deep remorse and heartfelt apology” (Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration).[39]
August 10, 2010: Prime Minister Naoto Kan expressed “deep regret over the suffering inflicted” during the Empire of Japan’s colonial rule over Korea. Japan’s Kyodo News also reported that Cabinet members endorsed the statement. In addition, Kan said that Japan will hand over precious cultural artifacts that South Korea has been demanding. Among them were records of an ancient Korean royal dynasty.[46]
December 7, 2010: Prime Minister Naoto Kan apologized for Korea’s suffering under colonization as part of a statement marking the 100th anniversary of the annexation in 1910. “I express a renewed feeling of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology for the tremendous damage and suffering caused by colonial rule,” Kan said. Kan said Japan colonized Korea “against the will of the Korean people” who suffered great damage to their national pride and loss of culture and sovereignty as a result and added that he wants to take an honest look at his country’s past with the courage and humility to address its history.[48]
December 28, 2015: Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se made an announcement at a joint press conference, which consisted of their respective statements on behalf of Japan and South Korea. Kishida stated, “The issue of comfort women, with an involvement of the Japanese military authorities at that time, was a grave affront to the honor and dignity of large numbers of women, and the Government of Japan is painfully aware of responsibilities from this perspective. As Prime Minister of Japan, Prime Minister Abe expresses anew his most sincere apologies and remorse to all the women who underwent immeasurable and painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women.” The statement went on to explain that “the Government of Japan will now take measures to heal psychological wounds of all former comfort women through its budget” and that it had been decided that the South Korean government would “establish a foundation for the purpose of providing support for the former comfort women”. In return, Yun stated that his government “acknowledges the fact that the Government of Japan is concerned about the statue built in front of the Embassy of Japan in Seoul from the viewpoint of preventing any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity, and will strive to solve this issue in an appropriate manner”. Both stated that this agreement will “finally and irreversibly” resolve the contentious issue and that “on the premise that the Government of Japan will steadily implement the measures it announced”, both countries “will refrain from accusing or criticizing each other regarding this issue in the international community, including at the United Nations”.[54]
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe denied that the Imperial Japanese military had forced comfort women into sexual slavery during World War II (which many of us know is a lie) and on the same day in 2006 when he made an apology he went to the Yasukuni Shrine (with other Japanese government officials) which enshrines more than 1,000 convicted war criminals. How does that make his apologies sincere? Looks more like lip service. After doing that any apology that follows just seems like it’s trying to appease but not sincere. South Korea is not without fault, as I mentioned, as its president and government, to my knowledge, has yet to apologize, investigate or truly acknowledge Lai Đại Hàn which is when South Korean soldiers assaulted several Vietnamese women during the war. I’ve listened to and read about the women and from the ones I came across they aren’t happy about how things are now “resolved” in some people’s eyes as they were the victims. Assaulting women is a time old war crime that soldiers/men use. I have yet to come across a story of the soldiers who has willingly participated apologize, accept accountability and all punishment associated with their crime. Instead they hide behind their government and think what they did was excusable “because it’s war” then come home acting like they’re heroes.
I’m feeling the same. This is ridiculous that they removed something which is actually a part of Japanese culture. This is just not right to call someone’s culture offensive and i think this option could be so cool for some stories that i started making after seeing the trailer and i’m so disappointed. I hope modders make a mod to have this feature back… although i don’t think they will bc the animation will probably be a lil hard to make(idk tho. I’m not a modder so idk if it’s considered easy or hard) but they’re literally calling a goddamn culture offensive like wtf?
It’s not a hard concept. The swastika has a long history of a peaceful meaning but that meaning was twisted by more modern happenings. so if they drew inspiration from the original cultures that used swastika patterns it wouldn’t be hard to see why they might not use it in the game. When drawing inspiration from real world cultures for an international game it’s not a bad thing to adjust to accommodate your audience.
J couldn’t agree more I’m so fucking pissed that they removed shrines and the ability to bow at them. Shrines are all over Japan and you can’t avoid them, this is a JAPANESE GAME PACK. Nothing to fucking do with South Korea and if they don’t like it THEY DO NOT HAVE TO BUY THE PACK. So fuck the rest of us outraged that the game is inaccurate right? As long as those people don’t have hurt feelings over something that doesn’t even pertain to them. If there’s a Korean game pack I’m going to make sure and bitch up a storm until culturally iconic things are removed from that pack. Fuck EA and this shit. Don’t ever fix the real issues with the game, just shit that isn’t worth bitching about.
Shrines are still there. You are “outraged” because you can’t bow to them…? Sure. Let’s have a missionary themed pack. If you don’t like it you simply don’t have to buy it. “Doesn’t even pertain to them” if only you knew the history of Shinto 🙂
There are 1.2 billion muslims in the world. It’s good that a life simulation game has items that let people represent themselves. Pls take you racism somewhere else, the sims should be about inclusivity.
By the same token, it was wrong to remove the Shinto content. Racist, even.
“TS 4 now is way too political and religious and ideological for my taste” then stop playing cause this obviously isn’t the game for you.I bet you cried your eyes out when they added the lgbtq+ flags lol
So Muslim players shouldnt be able to make characters that look like themselves? Like seriously, you must not know what the Sims is supposed to stand for if your saying something so stupid like this. Its literally about being inclusive, you dummy
Great that this doesn’t count for Japanese culture 😉
educate yourself and read for what the hijab stands and that it’s the first thing that is changed when islamic countries going backwards and become more islamistic, suppressing females, remove human rights, free speech etc. It’s not even a core part of their book, it’s just something those who want the power and suppress the folks and especially women use as tool and in this regard the hijab is the same negative symbol as the shrine is a negative symbol for the Koreans, but sure you can’t know this since you think the real life is what EA presents in Sims without any triggers at all; randomly putting stuff into the game and since you mentioned that.. one dev even said there is NO lesbian flag so they just didn’t make one ~yeah well done.
Other devs of other gaming studios are able to include real world aspects in a way better way than EA does it with the Sims recently so when something isn’t done properly it’s better to not try to add it to the game.
Besides the flags don’t spread by themselvs in my houses. The hijab and muslim swimming suit instead does, it attachs itself to my sims girls after aging up although EA promised that religious items like the hijab won’t attach itself to sims automatically.
How about attaching cross necklace to Sims too then? Or maybe spreading lgtb flags in muslimic player houses. I guess they’d would love that 😉
They quickly fixed that issue with the culturally insensitive error, but we still can’t have and are still waiting for them to fix the issue with the darker skin tones? How lovely!
Um… I get what your saying but you do realize those are on different levels right. Comparing the skin tone issue to the triggering history of r*pe, murder, and colonization between Korea and Japan…
To be honest I don’t think they have fixed any issue this time, they just removed them without any thought, meanwhile they couldn’t just remove darker skin tones.
My thoughts EXACTLY!