A theater group built two homegrown fast food brands using native architecture in a popular simulation game.
Last September 7, the theater group called Karakoa Productions uploaded on several photos of Jollibee and Mang Inasal stores they built inside the world of “The Sims 4,” a video game developed by Electronic Arts.
“Here are our Sims 4 builds of Jollibee and Mang Inasal stores, featuring vernacular architecture and precolonial outfits as service crew uniforms. Check captions for a fun time haha,” the post reads.
The fast food restaurants’ interior and facade differed from how their real-life branches look like.
They were only made realistic by integrating some common décor their patrons are familiar with.
These include Jollibee’s statue that greets customers at the entrance, the large advertisements that hang on the walls and Angel Locsin’s old poster for Mang Inasal.
On its Facebook post, Karakoa thanked the Filipino and other Southeast Asian mod creators behind the native fast food chain designs.
“Thanks to Filipino and other Southeast Asian mod creators, building our favorite fast-food restaurants and native architecture in The Sims 4 is now possible! Even precolonial outfits can be assembled in the game if you know where to look!” they said.
Mod in gaming is short for “modification.” It refers to “the process of editing or changing the structure, syntax or code of a game.”
Mod creators are responsible for “modifying” games to their preferred environment or world that is different from the released version of the game.
Karakoa said that the mod creator who made this environment in Sims 4 is named “SimlyPH.” In the comments section, they attached a link to the mod creator’s blog.
“Mods are by Filipino creator SimlyPH! Check out their blog and try out their mods!!! May chichirya objects at Chowking din! Hahaha,” the comment said.
The blog does not indicate enough details about the mod creator’s identity. It only has the following introduction:
“SulSul! My contents are mostly Builds (with CC’s and without CC’s). I also make my own ‘simple’ Pinoy-themed Custom Contents for The Sims 4. Feel free to download my works and tag/mention me on Instagram or YouTube. Spread positive vibes and just enjoy playing. Happy Simming Guys!”
Mang Inasal has been part of the Jollibee Food Corporation, the parent company of the Jollibee brand, since 2016.
The fast food restaurant has over 450 outlets nationwide.
Jollibee, meanwhile, has become a global powerhouse with over 5,800 stores in over 34 countries, including the United States.
Last August, Eater, a popular food website under Vox Media, named Jollibee’s signature chicken dish the “best chain fried chicken” in the US.
READ: How Jollibee reacted after Eater names Chickenjoy as ‘best chained fried chicken in America’
