Author: by Staff

Animal rights group PETA has awarded Electronic Arts a Proggy Award for 'Most Animal-Friendly Game 2009', thanks to The Sims 3's ability to create a vegetarian lifestyle for your Sims. According to a PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) statement, the organization's yearly Proggy Awards ("Proggy" is for "progress") "recognize animal-friendly achievements in commerce and culture." The organization notes that The Sims 3 allows players to create vegetarian Sims, commenting: "In the game, Sims who live a vegetarian lifestyle avoid meat-based dishes and can even become ill if another Sim serves them meat by accident." PETA also claims: "Rumor has it that game testers have reported that vegetarian Sims live longer and age more slowly than meat-eating Sims. Of course, that would jibe with studies showing that real-life vegans and vegetarians are less prone to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other life-threatening conditions." Other 2009 Proggy winners include an all-vegan shopping center in Portland, Ore., a San Francisco fitness center that provides a doggie day-care program for its clients' dogs, and a vegetarian day-care center in Savannah, Ga. "Electronic Arts Inc. knows that compassion is strength," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "And by portraying vegetarians in a positive way, other players might be encouraged to give animals a break and stop eating them."