Queer gamers, assemble quickly! The new simulation game, inZoi, is now available for purchase, but not for us. The queer community eagerly anticipated the release of inZoi, along with Paralives—another highly anticipated simulation game also set to debut soon, promising queer relationships and the ability to recreate significant “real-life” moments.
Related
The update comes two months before Pride Month, proving the franchise’s year-round commitment to queer representation.
However, queerness is absent from the bustling worlds of Bliss Bay, Kucingku, and Dowon. Despite offering in-depth customization, an open world, public transportation, and more, the game falls short of authentically representing queerness.
Save your coins— we bought and played it, so you don’t have to! Here’s what we discovered during a 10hr playthrough:
Entertainment with an edge
Whether you’re into indie comics, groundbreaking music, or queer cinema, we’re here to keep you in the loop.
Watch here for extensive queer insights on Inzoi!
Identity
When making a Zoi, you can choose your preferred gender identity, which includes male, female, and nonbinary options. And you can also set your sexual preferences with those same choices. This setting is what sold many queer players, because the last time we saw progress this impactful was when The Sims added sexual and gender identities along with polyamorous features.
Romance
During the gameplay, we tried romancing eight women with our Zoi, Venus Berry, but she was rejected almost immediately because they all had a default preference for men.Yikes! Many queer players are currently upset because the only way to have a successful sapphic relationship is by creating or adding a woman to your household and changing her preference.
In-Game Representation
inZoi lacks real-world queer connections since the world of the game is still shaped around straight people and couples. The game heavily emphasizes “traditional” families with marriage and kids having many choices, from decor to family activities. There aren’t any LGBTQ+ novelties, which made the Sims so lovable with pride flags, queer-centered shops, and artistic depictions of queer relationships.
If you were considering buying inZoi, maybe come back when the game acknowledges that we exist!
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