The Sims 4 will get 100 new skin tones in December

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

The Sims 4 will soon have an abundance of new customisable skin tones, along with improved hairstyles and existing skin tones, as part of the team's attempt to improve the game's representation. 

Criticism over its range of hairstyles and skin tones has followed the game since launch, but while the wait for improvements has been a long one, the updates sound significant, going considerably further than throwing a few more tones into the mix and calling it a day. 

On October 6, a base game update will improve the appearance of darker skin tones when the uncompressed Sim textures setting is turned on, and two hairstyles will be updated. The meatier update is coming in December, when at least 100 new skin tones will be introduced, with an emphasis on darker skin tones. 

All skin tones will become customisable, too, with a slider letting you make the tone lighter or darker. You can never have too many sliders, and more of them are being added to makeup, as well. The December update will also add two more improved hairstyles. 

Tiny houses and Star Wars vacations might be fun diversions, but this seems like a more meaningful update. Everyone ends up making themselves in The Sims, so it's weird that we got wizards, vampires and a trip to Batuu before before this. Unlike those packs, though, the skin tone update is a freebie for the base game, so all players will be able to take advantage of the expanded customisation options. 

Fraser Brown
Online Editor

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.