What do knitting and heavy metal music have in common? More than you think! For one, they’re both included as crucial elements in The Sims 4’s latest Stuff Pack, entitled “Nifty Knitting,” which officially released on July 28.
The “Nifty Knitting” pack adds the ability for Sims to knit clothes and other items, which they can then sell on Plopsy, the game’s version of online marketplace sites such as Etsy. Also, the pack introduces several knitted clothing items that Sims can wear — and look extremely fashionable while doing so, of course! The Sims fan community voted to name the new knitted clothing style “DIY Delight.”
But the new Stuff Pack adds something more than merely the ability to make tons of adorable scarves, hats, and sweaters. When the “Nifty Knitting” trailer was released, many confused fans wondered why it featured surprisingly intense, almost metal-like music. When the pack dropped, it was revealed to come with one seemingly unrelated item: a heavy metal radio station for Sims to listen to. The pack contains two radio stations, with the second, “Focus,” being a nod to ambient study, work, and productivity playlists frequently found on sites such as YouTube.
This decision was quite deliberate. The creative team behind The Sims 4 are huge fans of Finland’s “Heavy Metal Knitting World Championship,” a unique annual event in which contestants knit while playing air guitar and jamming out to heavy metal tunes.
Drew Boles, the sound designer for The Sims 4, confirmed that this was intentional during a deep dive into the new pack on the official The Sims forum. Boles also revealed that listening to the Metal station while knitting will cause characters to receive various bonuses as they hone their new craft.
Unfortunately, this year’s Heavy Metal Knitting World Championship was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, at least you can perform your very own tribute to the event with the help of your Sims!
