Sims probably isn't as popular as it was in it's early 00's hey-day, but it's certainly got a USP that has got it noticed in the saturated video game market. Due to wider contextual developments such as the gay marriage and societys' adaptability where transgendered people are concerned, it's a no-brainer that these, what once were 'issues', are now being reflected in popular culture. Sims is allowing 'genderless' characters and developers have given audiences the power to fully customise their virtual-selves.
This is certainly a postmodern response to societal attitudes and changes; what once was the simulacrum in Jean Baudrillard's hyper-reality, is now becoming an actuality.
It will certainly be interesting to see how other platforms and mediums respond and adapt to this change!
