Maxis Match VS Alpha CC – What’s Your Style?

Are you unsure of the difference between Maxis Match vs Alpha CC? Trying to figure out what CC style you want to integrate into your own games? Here’s some info!

The quality of The Sims 4 content that has been released by EA over the years has noticeably improved. Looking back at older Base Game hairstyles and those from early DLC for example, it’s really surprising how basic those styles look compared to today.

In the picture above, the top row is vanilla hair from the Get To Work Expansion and the bottom row is vanilla hair from Lovestruck. The GTW styles are very flat and simple by comparison, with a look that many simmers have referred to as “clayified” because they look like clay. The newer styles on the other hand have more detail, and a less “chunky” look to them.

Maxis Match VS Alpha CC Styles

With the Custom Content community being so vast and simmers coming from all walks of life, there’s a huge variety of styles and vibes to choose from.

What is Maxis Match?

“Maxis Match” (MM) refers to content that is styled to match The Sims 4‘s aesthetic. Add-ons, frankenmeshes, and overrides are all Maxis Match but there’s lots of original CC that fits this style as well. Another telltale sign that something is MM is that if there’s any text on the items, it’s written in simlish. This style of CC can be put into the game and look like it’s vanilla.

What is Alpha CC?

“Alpha” content is focused on hyper-realism and is often highly detailed, with things like wrinkles added to clothing. It’s typically higher poly than MM content with some objects being so detailed they might slow down your PC. It’s also more likely to have details like real-world text and familiar logos. Alpha CC looks very different from EA’s content and doesn’t necessarily blend with vanilla pieces.

The In-Between: Maxis Mix

In between MM and Alpha content there’s plenty of CC that doesn’t fit entirely on one side or the other. It could be Maxis Match-esque but slightly more detailed or using recognizable text and logos, or it could be Alpha content that’s not as intensely detailed as usual, or it uses simlish text. Players of all CC preferences tend to have at least some Maxis Mix content since it plays well with either end of the style spectrum.

CC Used On Our Example Sims

We only used a few pieces of content for our example sims to illustrate the differences between Maxis Match vs Alpha CC, so if you want any of it here are the links!

Female Sim MM

• Hair
• Brows
• Makeup (EA)
• Outfit

Female Sim Alpha

• Hair
• Brows
• Makeup (EA)
• Outfit

Male Sim MM

• Hair
• Brows (EA)
• Beard
• Outfit

Male Sim Alpha

• Hair
• Brows
• Beard
• Outfit

Does Maxis Match VS Alpha CC Apply To Buy/Build Too?

Maxis Match vs Alpha CC is also apparent in B/B Mode. For example, Rise&Grind Coffee House by littledica is a Maxis Match coffee shop collection while this Starbucks Lot by Bean’s Builds is modeled after a real-life brand and designed to be more realistic. Like CAS content, players tend to lean one way or another with some Maxis Mix thrown in there as well. Alpha content often has photo-realistic textures such as wood grains and fabric patterns, while Maxis Match is more “cartoony” to go with The Sims 4‘s vanilla look.

More on SNOOTYSIMS: Did you know that we make our own CC? It’s mostly Maxis Mix style content, so everybody can enjoy it!

Conclusion – Catch Us On #MaxisMatchMonday

Starting next week we’ll be sharing lists of our favorite Maxis Match Custom Content from recent years. Since EA has increased the quality of their vanilla pieces and MM CC has leveled-up to match, it’s more popular than ever. Keep your eyes out for that, and feel free to comment below if you have any favorite MM creations/creators!

So, what team are you on? Do you prefer the realism of Alpha CC or are you a Maxis Match player? Let us know in the comments! Until next time, happy simming!

Related Content