I can't believe they included "take selfie." They remove bowing (the proper etiquette), but leave in something that the game itself acknowledges is offensive.
EA seems to ignore the whole thing, waiting for time to pass, hoping it will fade away and be forgotten, and make it look like it never happened in the first place.
I'm a Japanese simmer and this is the first time I've sent an email to EA about this issue. I think there were a lot of people like that in the Japanese community as well. But I can tell you now that any email that doesn't stay on the surface is a complete waste of time. It's easy to pretend it didn't happen. Or maybe they decided not to worry about it, because Japanese players are few and far between, and they don't start fights out in the open.
Anyway, what I'm disappointed and disgusted with is EA's response. They took responsibility for what they created and said, "Bowing is optional, you can choose to do it or not. The pattern is just a fan," and they should have firmly explained that the pattern is just a fan. It wasn't originally intended to be as much of a fuss by some of the more vocal people as it was. But by removing everything, I implicitly affirmed their opinion.
Now that this has been released, we see that they have taken away even the freedom of choice from us. What does it mean that "bowing" is not allowed in the bizarre worldview unique to SIMS, where "selfies" are allowed at the grave? I was really looking forward to this pack, but the disappointment was too great for me to ever buy it. I was happy to see Japan featured, but I can't help but think that EA just sees it as a "money-making culture" this time around. I don't enjoy it at all.
For those of us who want the bowing back, MizoreYukii has a mod that replaces the option back in the game. patreon.com/posts/new-mod-bow-at-43859688
Thank you Mizore.
For those of us who want the bowing back, MizoreYukii has a mod that replaces the option back in the game. patreon.com/posts/new-mod-bow-at-43859688
Thank you Mizore.
Omg already?!!😆😆 thank you so much I've been waiting and hoping 🤗🤗
For those of us who want the bowing back, MizoreYukii has a mod that replaces the option back in the game. patreon.com/posts/new-mod-bow-at-43859688
Thank you Mizore.
For those of us who want the bowing back, MizoreYukii has a mod that replaces the option back in the game. patreon.com/posts/new-mod-bow-at-43859688
Thank you Mizore.
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
Am adding to say, while I grateful that this mod exists, this is probably what the devs and EA were waiting for, a modder to do their job so they don't have to look like they're "going back on a decision" so they can save face.
Give our Vampires back their fangs!!! Reverse the Nerf!!! Occult simmers should not be shoved aside for the "realism players"! It's time Occult lovers/players started to demand equal treatment. #JusticeForOccults
For those of us who want the bowing back, MizoreYukii has a mod that replaces the option back in the game. patreon.com/posts/new-mod-bow-at-43859688
Thank you Mizore.
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
I was willing to let the bowing animation go because I saw (and still see) a lot of other play value; but now that I have it, a huge part of the game is based around meditative hikes and journeys to spiritual places(2 shrines, cave statues, and a graveyard). For the finale of those hikes to be...selfies, even if i never knew bowing was a thing before, I'd feel like there was nothing for my sim to connect with at the end of those journeys and I would have done meditative hikes only.
For those of us who want the bowing back, MizoreYukii has a mod that replaces the option back in the game. patreon.com/posts/new-mod-bow-at-43859688
Thank you Mizore.
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
I was willing to let the bowing animation go because I saw (and still see) a lot of other play value; but now that I have it, a huge part of the game is based around meditative hikes and journeys to spiritual places(2 shrines, cave statues, and a graveyard). For the finale of those hikes to be...selfies, even if i never knew bowing was a thing before, I'd feel like there was nothing for my sim to connect with at the end of those journeys and I would have done meditative hikes only.
I think it's fine to just take photo if your sim goes there are a tourist, but if play as a local it makes no sense to have that shrine in the neighbourhood just to take a picture of it. They should have added at least the make wish interaction like at the temple.
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
Yeah, I'm starting to see people posting that bowing is a hate crime. EA has encouraged prejudice against a real religion.
For those of us who want the bowing back, MizoreYukii has a mod that replaces the option back in the game. patreon.com/posts/new-mod-bow-at-43859688
Thank you Mizore.
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
I was willing to let the bowing animation go because I saw (and still see) a lot of other play value; but now that I have it, a huge part of the game is based around meditative hikes and journeys to spiritual places(2 shrines, cave statues, and a graveyard). For the finale of those hikes to be...selfies, even if i never knew bowing was a thing before, I'd feel like there was nothing for my sim to connect with at the end of those journeys and I would have done meditative hikes only.
Personally, I'm just annoyed it was an "issue" to begin with, like the people who complained freaked out over a 3-second clip in a teaser trailer with literally no other info to go on, other than a sim respectfully bowing at a shrine, which is quite a normal thing to do. It feels strange not being able to bow at the shrines (yet sims can bow at spirits with no issue using the "make a wish" interaction (like seriously, why couldn't the "bow" option be hidden behind that ffs?)) as you noted, it feels weird for a "local" sim to not perform these actions. The other thing that annoys me is that westerners are actually buying the "it's disrespectful to Korean's" *snip* because they can't be *snip* doing more than reading a Tweet or a post saying it's disrespectful and leaving it at that.
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
Yeah, I'm starting to see people posting that bowing is a hate crime. EA has encouraged prejudice against a real religion.
I wouldn't say they've actively encouraged the "bowing is a hate crime" label, because that would be people who don't bother to do more research than reading one biased article who are spreading that rhetoric, because gotta be woke in 2020. However, the fact EA (or the Guru's) haven't come out to say anything otherwise does show them in a pretty poor light, like they're just content to sit there tight-lipped and hope that everything blows over. I can't say it enough, but it's disgusting. >insert Disgutang meme here<
Give our Vampires back their fangs!!! Reverse the Nerf!!! Occult simmers should not be shoved aside for the "realism players"! It's time Occult lovers/players started to demand equal treatment. #JusticeForOccults
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
Yeah, I'm starting to see people posting that bowing is a hate crime. EA has encouraged prejudice against a real religion.
I wouldn't say they've actively encouraged the "bowing is a hate crime" label, because that would be people who don't bother to do more research than reading one biased article who are spreading that rhetoric, because gotta be woke in 2020. However, the fact EA (or the Guru's) haven't come out to say anything otherwise does show them in a pretty poor light, like they're just content to sit there tight-lipped and hope that everything blows over. I can't say it enough, but it's disgusting. >insert Disgutang meme here<
They were quick to take sides and don't seem concerned about offending the Japanese.
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
Yeah, I'm starting to see people posting that bowing is a hate crime. EA has encouraged prejudice against a real religion.
I wouldn't say they've actively encouraged the "bowing is a hate crime" label, because that would be people who don't bother to do more research than reading one biased article who are spreading that rhetoric, because gotta be woke in 2020. However, the fact EA (or the Guru's) haven't come out to say anything otherwise does show them in a pretty poor light, like they're just content to sit there tight-lipped and hope that everything blows over. I can't say it enough, but it's disgusting. >insert Disgutang meme here<
They were quick to take sides and don't seem concerned about offending the Japanese.
That's true, but the reason why they were so quick to choose a side (literally within 24 hours) is to avoid "controversy" because controversy is bad for business, so they'd much rather take the path of least resistance if it means protecting their bottom dollar. I'm in no way defending EA here, I'm just saying that they're not actively encouraging the "hate crime" label but at the same time, they aren't doing anything to squash it either. So, either way you slice it, EA is definitely the bad guy here.
Give our Vampires back their fangs!!! Reverse the Nerf!!! Occult simmers should not be shoved aside for the "realism players"! It's time Occult lovers/players started to demand equal treatment. #JusticeForOccults
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
Yeah, I'm starting to see people posting that bowing is a hate crime. EA has encouraged prejudice against a real religion.
I wouldn't say they've actively encouraged the "bowing is a hate crime" label, because that would be people who don't bother to do more research than reading one biased article who are spreading that rhetoric, because gotta be woke in 2020. However, the fact EA (or the Guru's) haven't come out to say anything otherwise does show them in a pretty poor light, like they're just content to sit there tight-lipped and hope that everything blows over. I can't say it enough, but it's disgusting. >insert Disgutang meme here<
They were quick to take sides and don't seem concerned about offending the Japanese.
That's true, but the reason why they were so quick to choose a side (literally within 24 hours) is to avoid "controversy" because controversy is bad for business, so they'd much rather take the path of least resistance if it means protecting their bottom dollar. I'm in no way defending EA here, I'm just saying that they're not actively encouraging the "hate crime" label but at the same time, they aren't doing anything to squash it either. So, either way you slice it, EA is definitely the bad guy here.
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
Yeah, I'm starting to see people posting that bowing is a hate crime. EA has encouraged prejudice against a real religion.
I wouldn't say they've actively encouraged the "bowing is a hate crime" label, because that would be people who don't bother to do more research than reading one biased article who are spreading that rhetoric, because gotta be woke in 2020. However, the fact EA (or the Guru's) haven't come out to say anything otherwise does show them in a pretty poor light, like they're just content to sit there tight-lipped and hope that everything blows over. I can't say it enough, but it's disgusting. >insert Disgutang meme here<
They were quick to take sides and don't seem concerned about offending the Japanese.
That's true, but the reason why they were so quick to choose a side (literally within 24 hours) is to avoid "controversy" because controversy is bad for business, so they'd much rather take the path of least resistance if it means protecting their bottom dollar. I'm in no way defending EA here, I'm just saying that they're not actively encouraging the "hate crime" label but at the same time, they aren't doing anything to squash it either. So, either way you slice it, EA is definitely the bad guy here.
They could have sold a censored game for Korea.
I remember someone else floating that idea in a different thread (maybe it was you? I can't remember now.) But I don't think it's possible to have a censored version of the game for one region, and then have it be fine elsewhere. Then again, I'm not a game developer, so I have no idea if it's possible or not. In the long run, it was probably easier (read cheaper) to just remove the option altogether.
Give our Vampires back their fangs!!! Reverse the Nerf!!! Occult simmers should not be shoved aside for the "realism players"! It's time Occult lovers/players started to demand equal treatment. #JusticeForOccults
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
Yeah, I'm starting to see people posting that bowing is a hate crime. EA has encouraged prejudice against a real religion.
I wouldn't say they've actively encouraged the "bowing is a hate crime" label, because that would be people who don't bother to do more research than reading one biased article who are spreading that rhetoric, because gotta be woke in 2020. However, the fact EA (or the Guru's) haven't come out to say anything otherwise does show them in a pretty poor light, like they're just content to sit there tight-lipped and hope that everything blows over. I can't say it enough, but it's disgusting. >insert Disgutang meme here<
They were quick to take sides and don't seem concerned about offending the Japanese.
That's true, but the reason why they were so quick to choose a side (literally within 24 hours) is to avoid "controversy" because controversy is bad for business, so they'd much rather take the path of least resistance if it means protecting their bottom dollar. I'm in no way defending EA here, I'm just saying that they're not actively encouraging the "hate crime" label but at the same time, they aren't doing anything to squash it either. So, either way you slice it, EA is definitely the bad guy here.
Like I said several times, "they" were about to throw away their complaints against the shrine thingy like "How can we persuade foreigners with this when we can't even persuade our peoples? Let's drop this strategy and focus on the pattern of kimono clothes instead(It is still 'fan' pattern though)". And when "they" started regretting about their complains movement because they were attacked by their own peoples here on local community, ea suddenly made an announcement.
Prolly ea was just trying to cover up the dispute quickly to make money but it is like ea made another new history in which even we don't understand, a new history that makes it seem like we should hate shrine culture. Those nationalists are now arguing that their argument is correct based on the fact that the big company sided with them.
The process in which history is being made is by future generations like until 2002, no one here had any complaints to the Rising Sun Flag, but in 2002 it suddenly turned into a war flag by of some accidental event. In all this fuss, some people ask back, "What about Japanese people if ea only listen to 'their' requests?" But still in all these controversies, we living HERE is completely excluded. So far, we have been to the the shrines without any sense of problem, but from now on, perhaps we should feel guilty about going to the shrine or might be called as betrayer.
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
Yeah, I'm starting to see people posting that bowing is a hate crime. EA has encouraged prejudice against a real religion.
I wouldn't say they've actively encouraged the "bowing is a hate crime" label, because that would be people who don't bother to do more research than reading one biased article who are spreading that rhetoric, because gotta be woke in 2020. However, the fact EA (or the Guru's) haven't come out to say anything otherwise does show them in a pretty poor light, like they're just content to sit there tight-lipped and hope that everything blows over. I can't say it enough, but it's disgusting. >insert Disgutang meme here<
They were quick to take sides and don't seem concerned about offending the Japanese.
That's true, but the reason why they were so quick to choose a side (literally within 24 hours) is to avoid "controversy" because controversy is bad for business, so they'd much rather take the path of least resistance if it means protecting their bottom dollar. I'm in no way defending EA here, I'm just saying that they're not actively encouraging the "hate crime" label but at the same time, they aren't doing anything to squash it either. So, either way you slice it, EA is definitely the bad guy here.
Like I said several times, "they" were about to throw away their complaints against the shrine thingy like "How can we persuade foreigners with this when we can't even persuade our peoples? Let's drop this strategy and focus on the pattern of kimono clothes instead(It is still 'fan' pattern though)". And when "they" started regretting about their complains movement because they were attacked by their own peoples here on local community, ea suddenly made an announcement.
Prolly ea was just trying to cover up the dispute quickly to make money but it is like ea made another new history in which even we don't understand, a new history that makes it seem like we should hate shrine culture. Those nationalists are now arguing that their argument is correct based on the fact that the big company sided with them.
The process in which history is being made is by future generations like until 2002, no one here had any complaints to the Rising Sun Flag, but in 2002 it suddenly turned into a war flag by of some accidental event. In all this fuss, some people ask back, "What about Japanese people if ea only listen to 'their' requests?" But still in all these controversies, we living HERE is completely excluded. So far, we have been to the the shrines without any sense of problem, but from now on, perhaps we should feel guilty about going to the shrine or might be called as betrayer.
First off, calm down, I'm not supporting EA's decision, if you've read my previous comments in this thread you'll know I'm not siding with EA, in fact, I think what they've done is distasteful and cowardly. I was just simply saying that there is a supporting decision based on a business narrative, in which all they care about is avoiding "controversy" and making money. If that means they have to bury their heads in the sand, then by god, that's what they'll do. Giving an ironic win to the netizens and woke fools fuel for their fire and encouraging their "I want to speak to your manager" attitudes.
As for the team being attacked on the English forum, you can blame that on people who either can't be bothered doing more research than a single biased article/tweet or woke people who just want to side with the "underdog" without doing any research what so ever. Especially if they're unfamiliar with Asian cultures.
Anyway, I feel that if this pack came out even five years ago, no one would have batted an eye at the bowing or the fan pattern (which is clearly a fan pattern, no idea where people got the "rising sun" flag from it (speaking of sunbeams/rising sun, is pretty common iconography across Korea, so the people complaining knew they had a bs argument, yet still somehow won.)) It's all woke madness, and unfortunately, until big companies like EA stop bending over and taking it up the rear from the wokness we're not going to see any improvements.
Give our Vampires back their fangs!!! Reverse the Nerf!!! Occult simmers should not be shoved aside for the "realism players"! It's time Occult lovers/players started to demand equal treatment. #JusticeForOccults
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
Yeah, I'm starting to see people posting that bowing is a hate crime. EA has encouraged prejudice against a real religion.
I wouldn't say they've actively encouraged the "bowing is a hate crime" label, because that would be people who don't bother to do more research than reading one biased article who are spreading that rhetoric, because gotta be woke in 2020. However, the fact EA (or the Guru's) haven't come out to say anything otherwise does show them in a pretty poor light, like they're just content to sit there tight-lipped and hope that everything blows over. I can't say it enough, but it's disgusting. >insert Disgutang meme here<
They were quick to take sides and don't seem concerned about offending the Japanese.
That's true, but the reason why they were so quick to choose a side (literally within 24 hours) is to avoid "controversy" because controversy is bad for business, so they'd much rather take the path of least resistance if it means protecting their bottom dollar. I'm in no way defending EA here, I'm just saying that they're not actively encouraging the "hate crime" label but at the same time, they aren't doing anything to squash it either. So, either way you slice it, EA is definitely the bad guy here.
They could have sold a censored game for Korea.
But it would disregard the other Koreans who don’t see the bowing as a problem.
I agree with @halloweenchild, the team’s hasty decision was more like them being coward and lazy, not showing their policy position. Blaming them for "taking Koreans' side" is making something out of nothing, just like those protests made the bowing and fan patterns into the political problems.
This controversy shouldn’t be seen as Japan vs Korea political conflict, as that’s exactly those protests want it to be. They want the whole world to think the bowing to the shrines and the fan patterns are the problem even in a game, while many Koreans don’t care. Those problems were made up, and to point this out doesn’t mean denying or minimizing what Japanese army did in the past, because the Sims is just a game.
We can separate a game from real life politics. Mixing two is a path to cave in their guilt trip, where everything is political and everyone is either a suppressor or a victim.
For those of us who want the bowing back, MizoreYukii has a mod that replaces the option back in the game. patreon.com/posts/new-mod-bow-at-43859688
Thank you Mizore.
That's good for PC players, but not for us console players. I want the bowing back! How rude of them to ban something so intrinsic to Japanese culture (making it look like it's a bad thing) and still profit from it.
For those of us who want the bowing back, MizoreYukii has a mod that replaces the option back in the game. patreon.com/posts/new-mod-bow-at-43859688
Thank you Mizore.
Maru has created a mod that allows you to make offerings to shrines. https://twitter.com/maru46521730/status/1327690992196075520
A big thank you to MizoreYukii and maru for making a great mod. It helps those of who simmers want to homage to the shrines.
But mods are not a fundamental solution. Japan is a country with many CS users. They can't put in mods. Some people prefer to play vanilla.
The SIMS series is open to mods, and adding them makes the game more fun to play.
But is it right if the EA are leaving the underlying problem unaddressed in the hope that users will compensate for it?
I understand that there are many bugs currently and the developers are working to fix them.
But please working to bug fixes on this issue.
Please listen to everyone in this thread.
EA's silence is not the answer, just as Japanese silence is not the answer.
The act of "read between the lines / 空気を読む" is established by mutual agreement.
Recently there have been an increasing number of cases of protests like this one that have forced changes in a number of Japan-related content. This is even if the content is made in Japan.
EA has increased the number of sad cases by taking action to remove it.
It's been released and played by a lot of simmers, but my demands won't change.
Even if this thread is soon to be deleted, or dropped lower and lower and forgotten from your memories. No matter how great the next DLC is, I will not forget this assertion.
I'm waiting for a courtesy and good faith announcement from EA.
I appreciate the fact that so many people have taken notice of this issue and thought about it with us.
Talking about that mod.... I saw that mod link on local forum and even review of that mod is uploaded. This situation is like a comedy. For whom did ea delete 'bow'? Local review is here.
Looking at what the mod adds back in, it seems that there was an autonomous bow at shrine as well as an option to bow. Instead of simply removing the automatic bow they blanket cut it all out. A hasty and thoughtless decision to me. To be fair to everyone they should be working on adding the choice to bow back in. Sorry console players
Comments
Also, if the gurus haven't watched this, they need to: Japan: Where Gods Aren't Gods and Worshipers Aren't Religious (Shinto Explained)
I'm a Japanese simmer and this is the first time I've sent an email to EA about this issue.
I think there were a lot of people like that in the Japanese community as well.
But I can tell you now that any email that doesn't stay on the surface is a complete waste of time. It's easy to pretend it didn't happen.
Or maybe they decided not to worry about it, because Japanese players are few and far between, and they don't start fights out in the open.
Anyway, what I'm disappointed and disgusted with is EA's response. They took responsibility for what they created and said, "Bowing is optional, you can choose to do it or not. The pattern is just a fan," and they should have firmly explained that the pattern is just a fan. It wasn't originally intended to be as much of a fuss by some of the more vocal people as it was. But by removing everything, I implicitly affirmed their opinion.
Now that this has been released, we see that they have taken away even the freedom of choice from us.
What does it mean that "bowing" is not allowed in the bizarre worldview unique to SIMS, where "selfies" are allowed at the grave?
I was really looking forward to this pack, but the disappointment was too great for me to ever buy it.
I was happy to see Japan featured, but I can't help but think that EA just sees it as a "money-making culture" this time around. I don't enjoy it at all.
For those of us who want the bowing back, MizoreYukii has a mod that replaces the option back in the game. patreon.com/posts/new-mod-bow-at-43859688
Thank you Mizore.
Omg already?!!😆😆 thank you so much I've been waiting and hoping 🤗🤗
Huge thanks to Mizore!
Thanks! Sucks we even need to turn to a mod for just a simple respectful gesture. What makes it worse is the fact that "westerners" swallowed the "It's a hurtful action to us Karens-I mean Korean's" hook, line and sinker is just so disappointing.
Am adding to say, while I grateful that this mod exists, this is probably what the devs and EA were waiting for, a modder to do their job so they don't have to look like they're "going back on a decision" so they can save face.
I was willing to let the bowing animation go because I saw (and still see) a lot of other play value; but now that I have it, a huge part of the game is based around meditative hikes and journeys to spiritual places(2 shrines, cave statues, and a graveyard). For the finale of those hikes to be...selfies, even if i never knew bowing was a thing before, I'd feel like there was nothing for my sim to connect with at the end of those journeys and I would have done meditative hikes only.
I think it's fine to just take photo if your sim goes there are a tourist, but if play as a local it makes no sense to have that shrine in the neighbourhood just to take a picture of it. They should have added at least the make wish interaction like at the temple.
With mod tool you first need to place your objects on a lot, but those hiking trails seem to be in a separate neighbourhood away from any lots.
Yeah, I'm starting to see people posting that bowing is a hate crime. EA has encouraged prejudice against a real religion.
Personally, I'm just annoyed it was an "issue" to begin with, like the people who complained freaked out over a 3-second clip in a teaser trailer with literally no other info to go on, other than a sim respectfully bowing at a shrine, which is quite a normal thing to do. It feels strange not being able to bow at the shrines (yet sims can bow at spirits with no issue using the "make a wish" interaction (like seriously, why couldn't the "bow" option be hidden behind that ffs?)) as you noted, it feels weird for a "local" sim to not perform these actions. The other thing that annoys me is that westerners are actually buying the "it's disrespectful to Korean's" *snip* because they can't be *snip* doing more than reading a Tweet or a post saying it's disrespectful and leaving it at that.
I wouldn't say they've actively encouraged the "bowing is a hate crime" label, because that would be people who don't bother to do more research than reading one biased article who are spreading that rhetoric, because gotta be woke in 2020. However, the fact EA (or the Guru's) haven't come out to say anything otherwise does show them in a pretty poor light, like they're just content to sit there tight-lipped and hope that everything blows over. I can't say it enough, but it's disgusting. >insert Disgutang meme here<
(CM: Edited to remove profanity per forum rules)
They were quick to take sides and don't seem concerned about offending the Japanese.
That's true, but the reason why they were so quick to choose a side (literally within 24 hours) is to avoid "controversy" because controversy is bad for business, so they'd much rather take the path of least resistance if it means protecting their bottom dollar. I'm in no way defending EA here, I'm just saying that they're not actively encouraging the "hate crime" label but at the same time, they aren't doing anything to squash it either. So, either way you slice it, EA is definitely the bad guy here.
They could have sold a censored game for Korea.
I remember someone else floating that idea in a different thread (maybe it was you? I can't remember now.) But I don't think it's possible to have a censored version of the game for one region, and then have it be fine elsewhere. Then again, I'm not a game developer, so I have no idea if it's possible or not. In the long run, it was probably easier (read cheaper) to just remove the option altogether.
Like I said several times, "they" were about to throw away their complaints against the shrine thingy like "How can we persuade foreigners with this when we can't even persuade our peoples? Let's drop this strategy and focus on the pattern of kimono clothes instead(It is still 'fan' pattern though)". And when "they" started regretting about their complains movement because they were attacked by their own peoples here on local community, ea suddenly made an announcement.
Prolly ea was just trying to cover up the dispute quickly to make money but it is like ea made another new history in which even we don't understand, a new history that makes it seem like we should hate shrine culture. Those nationalists are now arguing that their argument is correct based on the fact that the big company sided with them.
The process in which history is being made is by future generations like until 2002, no one here had any complaints to the Rising Sun Flag, but in 2002 it suddenly turned into a war flag by of some accidental event. In all this fuss, some people ask back, "What about Japanese people if ea only listen to 'their' requests?" But still in all these controversies, we living HERE is completely excluded. So far, we have been to the the shrines without any sense of problem, but from now on, perhaps we should feel guilty about going to the shrine or might be called as betrayer.
First off, calm down, I'm not supporting EA's decision, if you've read my previous comments in this thread you'll know I'm not siding with EA, in fact, I think what they've done is distasteful and cowardly. I was just simply saying that there is a supporting decision based on a business narrative, in which all they care about is avoiding "controversy" and making money. If that means they have to bury their heads in the sand, then by god, that's what they'll do. Giving an ironic win to the netizens and woke fools fuel for their fire and encouraging their "I want to speak to your manager" attitudes.
As for the team being attacked on the English forum, you can blame that on people who either can't be bothered doing more research than a single biased article/tweet or woke people who just want to side with the "underdog" without doing any research what so ever. Especially if they're unfamiliar with Asian cultures.
Anyway, I feel that if this pack came out even five years ago, no one would have batted an eye at the bowing or the fan pattern (which is clearly a fan pattern, no idea where people got the "rising sun" flag from it (speaking of sunbeams/rising sun, is pretty common iconography across Korea, so the people complaining knew they had a bs argument, yet still somehow won.)) It's all woke madness, and unfortunately, until big companies like EA stop bending over and taking it up the rear from the wokness we're not going to see any improvements.
But it would disregard the other Koreans who don’t see the bowing as a problem.
I agree with @halloweenchild, the team’s hasty decision was more like them being coward and lazy, not showing their policy position. Blaming them for "taking Koreans' side" is making something out of nothing, just like those protests made the bowing and fan patterns into the political problems.
This controversy shouldn’t be seen as Japan vs Korea political conflict, as that’s exactly those protests want it to be. They want the whole world to think the bowing to the shrines and the fan patterns are the problem even in a game, while many Koreans don’t care. Those problems were made up, and to point this out doesn’t mean denying or minimizing what Japanese army did in the past, because the Sims is just a game.
We can separate a game from real life politics. Mixing two is a path to cave in their guilt trip, where everything is political and everyone is either a suppressor or a victim.
That's good for PC players, but not for us console players. I want the bowing back! How rude of them to ban something so intrinsic to Japanese culture (making it look like it's a bad thing) and still profit from it.
Maru has created a mod that allows you to make offerings to shrines.
https://twitter.com/maru46521730/status/1327690992196075520
A big thank you to MizoreYukii and maru for making a great mod. It helps those of who simmers want to homage to the shrines.
The SIMS series is open to mods, and adding them makes the game more fun to play.
But is it right if the EA are leaving the underlying problem unaddressed in the hope that users will compensate for it?
I understand that there are many bugs currently and the developers are working to fix them.
But please working to bug fixes on this issue.
Please listen to everyone in this thread.
EA's silence is not the answer, just as Japanese silence is not the answer.
The act of "read between the lines / 空気を読む" is established by mutual agreement.
Recently there have been an increasing number of cases of protests like this one that have forced changes in a number of Japan-related content. This is even if the content is made in Japan.
EA has increased the number of sad cases by taking action to remove it.
It's been released and played by a lot of simmers, but my demands won't change.
Even if this thread is soon to be deleted, or dropped lower and lower and forgotten from your memories. No matter how great the next DLC is, I will not forget this assertion.
I'm waiting for a courtesy and good faith announcement from EA.
I appreciate the fact that so many people have taken notice of this issue and thought about it with us.