'The Sims 4' expansion pack update news 2016: Gender-neutral Sims enabled; 'Dine out' expansion pack finally released

"The Sims" has offered a lot of ways for players to create and customize their own characters. The game provides players with tools that will aid them in forming their simulated character based on reality though existing in a virtual world. With "The Sims 4," Maxis has leveled up the personalizing of Sims with new hairstyles, facial features, skin tones, attires, and accessories, among many others. Moreover, a recent update that aims to reflect the real world a little more now allows a Sim character to sport physical features and clothes regardless of the gender.

The concept of a same-sex union has already been introduced in the life simulation game series since the "The Sims 1," although the settings of the game only allows the player to design their Sims based on one gender. With the latest update in "The Sims 4," specifically in the Create a Sim (CAS) mode, the players can now incorporate both male and female features or clothing to their Sim. The player can start off with a male Sim that expresses the female gender, and vice versa. Likewise, the Sim can also be initialized as gender-neutral, displaying both physical characteristics of male and female.

"It's important for all our players to have the tools to be creative and express themselves in an inclusive environment," Maxis game producer Lyndsay Pearson said in an interview with iDigital Times. It was also revealed that the recent update was already planned almost a year ago. It was only now that this concept was finally applied to the game.

Meanwhile, the latest expansion pack of "The Sims 4" called "Dine Out" was already released this week. The latest add-on now allows Sims to create their personalized restaurants and manage them. The players can also take their Sims out to a restaurant and get the feel of a real-life resto experience. As reported by The Inquisitr, the Sims can act as a customer to dine at a resto and review its menu, or they can be the owner of the resto itself and manage the establishment.