Critical Study of Lifestyle Components in the Sims (4) Video Game from the Perspective of Islam

Because computer games, with a high level of attraction and interaction, have found many audiences and become a tool for socialization, the need to review the content and recommended lifestyle of these games is felt more than ever.
In this article, the Sims 4 was selected as an example of video games for review. The research question is, what criticisms about the lifestyle components of this video game come from the perspective of the Islamic lifestyle? To answer this question, the researchers, using the qualitative method of thematic analysis, entered the game world as a player and extracted the explicit and hidden themes of the lifestyle components presented in the game. Then, referring to religious sources, they clarified the viewpoint of Islam on these components, and relying on it, they evaluated the components of lifestyle presented in the game. The results of the research showed that the views of materialism, humanism, secularism, and the primacy of pleasure are hidden in the underlying layers of most components of the presented lifestyle which in no way are suitable for Islamic societies and, moreover, for all human societies. The contribution of the research is to inform policymakers and cultural officials about this aspect of the video games.