Since the controversy with GShade in early 2023, Sims 4 players have been looking for an alternative. Shaders can greatly improve the look of the game, but aren’t easy for newcomers to configure, which made GShade’s preconfigured package extremely appealing. Unfortunately, the alternatives require quite a bit more effort to get working.
Are there alternatives for GShade for The Sims 4?
The main alternative Sims 4 players can use instead of GShade is ReShade.
ReShade is a post-processing injector that GShade is forked from. It’s a generic way to add a ton of graphical effects and features. However, it’s not the easiest tool to use. There are hundreds of settings that can be tweaked, and it’s very daunting for those who aren’t tech-inclined.
Fortunately, you can load Sims 4 ReShade configuration files that others have made. It’s not quite as easy as using GShade, but it simplifies the process.
Is it safe to use GShade for Sims 4?
In early 2023, GShade was the center of some controversy when the creator introduced malware into the software. At the time, GShade forced you to update it before using it, which sometimes broke functionality with some games. Someone modified and redistributed a version of GShade without this check to get around this requirement. In response, the creator of GShade introduced code into the software, which would cause users’ PCs to reset if it detected any alternate versions.
The creator of GShade was initially banned from Github for this action but was able to return at some point. GShade is still available, and it appears the malicious code has been removed. However, many feel that the software is no longer safe to use because of the developer’s previous actions. It’s up to you whether the ease of configuration is worth the potential risk or not.
