The Sims 4 has responded to a recent petition calling for mobility items to be added to the game.
Representation has been advertised as one of the game's biggest selling points since launch, and the developers have used fan feedback to regularly improve aspects in this area. But the title is still lacking in representation for disabled players, and it's a topic that's been raised for years.
A Change.org petition drew further discussion on this subject.
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Speaking on this week's Inside Maxis live stream, concept artist SimGuruSalo offered an official response, saying that mobility items are "at the top of our minds" and suggesting they're being seriously considered.
"We want you to know that we took note of the petition, and we want to say thank you for everyone who's always reaching out to The Sims and giving us pointers on what to do to make this game better," the developer said.
"[We're] super passionate about what we do and we all want The Sims to be the best game out there for many years to come, so mobility items are at the top of our minds.
"As you know, we have a roadmap and we have been including different things like the additional skin tones, the Asian facial features, the updated Black hairs, and we're currently doing research on gender neutral pronouns.
"So representation remains the core pillar of The Sims, and that's helping us guide our roadmaps on what we want to deliver for the base game in the future. Mobility items are at the top of our list.
"Thank you so much for creating this petition, because we hear you."
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It's not the first time someone from the team has spoken about the issue.
In late 2020, producer Graham Nardone was asked about the possibility of adding options such as wheelchairs and guide dogs. At the time, he said that it was something the developers had given thought to and that they wanted to approach it respectfully.
"I think the last thing that we want to avoid is turning it into a feature," he commented.
The Sims 4 is available on PC, Mac, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
