The Sims 4 opens up with the intention of either building a lavish house or perhaps just spoiling some digital lives, and when you arrive a what do you see instead of the usual calm and peaceful environment? SpongeBob SquarePants’ pineapple house! Yes, the gaming giants EA and Maxis have teamed up for a cross-promotion which changes the game’s main menu to a Bikini Bottom scene and the response from the gamer community is not far from a non-celebration at the Krusty Krab.
This is the last in a series of The Sims 4 features with themed menu backgrounds, but this one in particular seems to have caught and that. The official Sims community account sent out the message and players immediately reacted with shock, disbelief, and a frantic search for mods to undo it, as the replies poured in. One account @Yeontan124 expressed disbelief saying, “This is so ugly, I can’t! Don’t even want to open my game anymore If this abomination greets me.” That sounds like a very strong opinion. Another player, @charmbracelet20, went even further, calling the entire menu “disgusting” and lamenting the fact that “there is nothing that looks ‘sims’ about it”.
But it is not merely a question of the appearance, even if someone has noticed that the composition is somewhat weird. @PainfulStage observed, “They could’ve at least positioned the Sims better for it like alluding to the intro or something. It just has a very awkward and empty look like this.” The implication here is that the criticism is a little black and white, an unexciting overlay, a brand slap that is not in sync with the personality of the game. A franchise that has been around for more than a decade is now gradually losing some of its players who are very loyal to what they call “the game’s soul being swapped for a corporate cross-promotion”. “I still can’t believe the franchise got ruined by a greedy corporation taking advantage of newgen gaming tourists,” commented @charmbracelet20, reverberating a long-standing dislike that has been bubbling beneath the surface.
So what was I saying? Oh, that’s right, the panic. The first reaction of a large part of the player community was not to rejoice in the quirkiness, but to search for an exit. The term “menu mod” became the most discussed one among replies even before you could say “F.U.N.” Players such as @PastelSpellTV expressed, “Welp, I think it’s finally time to look for a mod high-and-low for my main menu.” Others, like @pastelsimmie, were very pleased that they already had a mod installed, and they were thankful to @SimMattically for the Christmas menu override. @TaikonoNippon mentioned they immediately checked their override mod “so I never have to see this.” The modding community, as always, stands out as a hero, providing protection against unwanted advertising in the game.
The fairness of the situation has to be mentioned! A few voices in the middle of the negativity expressed their delight. @TheSims4TBAF said, “I love it .. its my childhood,” while @redw1nesuprnova dubbed it “awesome.” Even so, these were definitely exceptions to the rule. The predominant mood was one of confusion and rejection. @jessrudwick just put it simply, “what kind of sick joke is this?” and @maxymeq07 candidly declared, “It’s gone too far.” Also, some players from abroad had their say, such as @troubleevie who asked in Portuguese if a mod could do something about it, referring to the situation as “treco tosco” (a tacky gimmick).
It raises a more significant question, you know? Who is this intended for? The kids that have grown up with SpongeBob and now play Sims? Or is it just a cheap and easy marketing tie-in? The collaboration seems random, and the players’ execution has left many feeling like their game’s front door was painted over with cartoon graffiti. @mrsmitch88, who plays offline, said she was lucky not to have seen it and called it “very childish.” That word—childish—keeps coming up. It is in direct opposition to the more adult, imaginative, and sometimes chaotic storytelling that many players are involved with.
So what is our current situation? The Sims 4 team does not shy away from unusual partnerships and events in the game, but this particular one has most definitely backfired with a large segment of its audience. It serves as a reminder that the players are very protective of the game’s atmosphere and identity. Presenting a bright yellow sponge’s house on the main screen is not just a visual modification, for many it is an intrusion. The silver lining, as usual with The Sims, is that the modding community provides solutions, and for those on other platforms, the recent backlash over a Game Pass perk shows gamers everywhere are vocal about changes they dislike. This event is another case of a major gaming franchise making a controversial crossover decision.
