Sims 4 will finally add more inclusive sexual orientation options this month

The Sims 4 sexual orientation update will add options for created Sims to engage in romantic relationships with either gender, and specify “mess around” options with male and female Sims – with further gender options coming over time.

The Sims 4’s next expansion, High School Years, will launch later this month but players that choose not to buy it will still be able to enjoy a free update that offers more control over a Sim’s sexual orientation in the Create a Sim menu of the game.

The Sims 4 sexual orientation Base Game update explained

The upcoming Base Game update to The Sims 4 — which has yet to receive a release date — will allow Simmers to select one or more of the following options when assigning an attraction type for their Sims: Men, Women, None, or both.

Players can split this further, with an option to pursue romantic relationships, or simply “Mess Around” with the same options (The Sims’ phrasing for teen romance).

It’s sure to be a big step for the community, which had been looking for more flexibility with sexual orientation, but understandably raises a question about the binary nature of gender in the game.

As part of a recent preview event for the High School Years expansion, Jessica Croft, the game’s Lead Designer at Maxis noted that this is currently a technical limitation.

Croft explained that this update is a series of “steps in a journey, but it’s a journey we’re still plotting out”, and that this is “not the finish line”.

The update follows the addition of pronouns in recent months, something lauded by the community for its inclusivity.

In a press release, EA said:

“Inclusivity has been a core value of The Sims since the franchise began 22 years ago, and the diverse development team proudly introduces this feature as a way to reflect the world we live in, the ways we interact with one another and represent real lived experiences.”

“The Sims team understands that sexual orientation is a vital, complex and inherent to how people experience the world and find community.”

“By consulting nonprofit organizations It Gets Better and GLAAD, The Sims 4 has created a detailed and affirming option for players to experiment with various forms of sexual orientation for their Sims.”

The Sims 4 sexual orientation update will arrive later this month.

For more on the Sims, be sure to check out our list of the best Sims 4 mods, and everything announced as part of the game’s latest roadmap.