/ The Sims 4 x Gucci: Are video games the next big platform for luxury brands to reach out to Gen Z and millennials?

Nov 5 , 2020

Who would have predicted a collaboration between Gucci and The Sims 4? Photo: @_hzmhadi/Twitter

Now you can deck your Sims character out in a Gucci bucket hat and hang in a modder-created treehouse – but why? And are Louis Vuitton and Burberry about to follow suit?

We’re all used to seeing product placement in films – think James Bond’s Aston Martins or Pizza Hut popping up in Wayne’s World – but what about in video games? If you’re already a gamer you’ll know that product integration isn’t uncommon at all – in fact everything from Vote Obama posters to Subway sandwiches can show up on screen when you least expect it.

However on October 13, luxury fashion brand Gucci announced a collaboration with Sims 4 modders (the people who make modifications to video games), and may just have kicked off a new industry trend.

For the uninitiated, The Sims 4 is a life simulation game developed by Electronic Arts (EA), whose other hits include fan favourites Fifa and Battlefield, and the game has garnered a huge audience of loyal players over the years, many of whom have been playing since its initial release as The Sims in 2000.

However, today’s fan base is primarily made up of teenagers and young adults. In fact, The Sims franchise is such a significant player in the video game industry, YouTubers who create Sims content on their platforms have been able to amass millions of followers and views of their own.

So why did Gucci think a Sims partnership was the way forward? The collaboration is part of Gucci’s new initiative, Gucci Equilibrium, which the brand says is its “commitment to generate positive change for people and our planet”. Not only is sustainability a big part of the initiative, but the amplification of Gen Z voices too.

Given the size of the young audience The Sims 4 has, it makes sense the luxury brand would want to integrate its latest sustainable collection – appropriately called “Off the Grid” – into the game.

Believe it or not, Gucci isn’t the first fashion house to turn to the video game industry.

In The Sims 4, basic content is available to anyone who purchases the game, and then periodically, The Sims team releases new content packs for purchase that expands players’ gaming experiences, incorporates new clothing, and lets them build things.

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