Why You Shouldn't Mistake Sensitivity For Censorship, Sims 4: Horse Ranch Consultant Explains

gamespot.com:

«It's not censorship. It's not stepping on someone's creativity. My goal is to help someone tell a better story,» Stacey Parshall Jensen told GameSpot.

By Jess Howard on

Since its inception nearly 25 years ago, The Sims franchise has consistently been one of the most progressive in games. The first entry in the series, The Sims, was among the first video games to ever present same-sex relationships--particularly in a way in which players would play an active role within them. In recent years, The Sims 4 has repeatedly made headlines for its free updates which have included robust gender customization, a greater variety of skin tones, and most recently, the ability to give your sims fully customizable pronouns. However, just as important as large-scale, progressive updates, is a company's dedication to ensuring authenticity in every aspect of the game.

In The Sims 4's latest expansion, Horse Ranch, Native American and Indigenous cultures served as the inspiration for many of the game's new recipes, clothing styles, and housing options. But rather than simply grasp at the patterns, ingredients, and history of these diverse communities, Maxis sought to do its due diligence, and reached out to Indigenous screenwriter, novelist, and sensitivity reader Stacey Parshall Jensen. GameSpot recently had the chance to speak with Jensen about her work on the expansion, her voyage into the games industry, and some of the misconceptions about sensitivity work.

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