As digital lifestyles mature, people are thinking more deeply about their digital selves. In response, brands are facilitating new infrastructure for digital identities.
The Sims is bringing inclusive pronouns into gaming. In May, ‘The Sims 4’ unveiled the ability for players to customize their pronouns in the game in an effort to make the universe more inclusive. Players can type their pronouns into a text box and preview how those pronouns will appear in-game.
L’Oréal’s Nyx is backing more diverse avatars in the metaverse. The professional makeup brand is launching an NFT collection of diverse, non-binary avatars that players can purchase at auction and use in The Sandbox, a popular platform in the metaverse where players can purchase land and interact with others. According to Glossy, the collection of 8,430 NFT avatars represents the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities that make up 84.3% of the population. The avatars were made available in mid-June in support of the LGBTQIA+ community, and all proceeds from the auction were donated to the Los Angeles LGBT Center.