'The Sims 4' Content Creators Quit EA's Creator Network To Protest Company's Acquisition

Nov 03, 2025

A handful of The Sims 4 content creators have quit EA’s Creator Network to protest the company’s acquisition by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners.

At the end of September, EA announced it was being acquired by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners as part of a $55 billion deal.

Shortly after the sale was announced EA promised that its mission and values would “remain unchanged” in a SEC filing. The company stated, ““Our mission, values, and commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged.”

Additionally, it added, “We will continue to be guided by our cultural values of creativity, pioneering, passion, determination, learning, and teamwork.”

Finally, it concluded, “The Consortium is supportive of and committed to investing in our exceptional employees and our strong culture.”

EA previously announced its commitment to degeneracy back in a blog post in 2023, “We are celebrating Pride Month globally to emphasize the importance of community and strength in unity. Through this year’s theme, Coming Together: Strength in Community, we are creating space for powerful conversations and programming that honors our people, leaders, champions, and allies across the LGBTQ+ community.”

Additionally, it bragged about pushing disordered LGBTQ+ lifestyles in Apex Legends, “Apex Legends is a great example of a team with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences infusing those experiences into our characters to make a game reflective of a modern global community.”

The company’s Senior Director, Experience Integration and Global Chair of Pride Leslie Heryford documented how long the company has been doing it:

For me, EA’s history of support and representation of the LGBTQ+ community is core to my belief in the positive impact we have on the LGBTQ+ and gaming communities. EA’s support goes back decades before the significance of inclusion and representation was an established norm. From the late 1990’s when a live demo of The Sims included a same-sex kiss, to Dragon Age’s first trans character, Krem, to the current Apex cast, EA has always been committed to diversity and compelling characters. Our games create spaces where everyone is represented and welcomed. This is part of the core of EA and carries over to our company culture.
EA believes that creativity and passion are unlocked when people can be themselves. This is not part of a corporate fad or the result of increased industry awareness, but a manifestation of EA’s commitment to its values. I am proud of the positive examples of LGBTQ+ representation we have in our games and how we strive to create authentic spaces for our community. Creating places where everyone can be seen and heard in safe spaces is core to what we do. Our values are why we do it.

The company concluded its blog post stating, “We’ve only just scratched the surface of what’s possible for LGBTQ+ representation in our games. Our investments in diversity, equity, and inclusion are because we want to empower our people. By celebrating diversity and actively fostering inclusion, we will also shape the future of Electronic Arts along the way—IRL and in-game.”

Nevertheless, The Sims YouTuber LilSimsie announced she would no longer be part of the EA Creator Network, “The values represented by the people acquiring EA are fundamentally at odds with what I stand for and support. I’ve been losing sleep over it for weeks, and I’ve been deeply struggling with what to do moving forward. I have so much love for The Sims. This game has completely shaped my entire life, and I care so deeply about The Sims and the community.”

“I have made the decision to remove myself from the EA Creator Network. It is my hope that pressure from creators and the community might encourage EA’s leadership to reconsider the long-term impact of this sale and to preserve the values that have made The Sims so beloved,” she added. “This means that I will no longer receive early access to Sims packs, and I will not have a creator code. Under this new ownership I feel I cannot maintain a direct association to the company. I also truly believe that they benefit more from my early access content than I do, and I think that stepping away is the strongest action I can take against the sale.”

“I’m really, really distraught over this sale and I know that many of you are as well. It’s scary, and it’s breaking my heart. I really appreciate your support as I try to navigate this,” she concluded.

Other Sims creators including Devon Bumpkin, Plumbella, Vixella, and James Turner also announced they were leaving the program.

Plumbella stated, “Due to the recent sale, I have asked to leave the EA Creator Network and I will not buy or make content around any future release. I think taking this stand is the right choice for me personally, but I’m not going to judge anybody on their decision. I’m in a privileged position to be able to say I’m leaving so easily.”

“I hope that the sale falls through, and if it doesn’t, I hope that those that stay put pressure on EA to maintain the level of inclusiveness that The Sims has always been about,” she concluded.

EA responded to these creators exiting the program with a statement on X, “We’re continually inspired by our incredible players and creators; by your imagination, creativity, and the joy you bring to The Sims every day. We deeply respect that everyone experiences The Sims in their own way and will make choices that are right for them. However, you choose to play, creator, or share, we’re grateful to be part of your journey.”

“Our mission, values, and commitment remain the same,” the company added. “The Sims will always be a space where you can express your authentic self.”