InZOIreleases in Early Access on June 18, 2025. As the first major newcomer in the life sim genre that could be considered as major competition toThe Sims 4, comparisons betweenInZOIandThe Sims 4are somewhat inevitable. While the two games have marked differences, particularly in goal and art style, they do occupy the same genre and can learn from each other.
One feature that plays an important role in gameplay is life stages. Life stages dictate how long a Sim or Zoi lives, the stages of their lives, and the activities they do. Life stages have been a part ofThe SimssinceThe Sims 2, and will be included inInZOIfrom Early Access.InZOImay have an advantage overThe Sims 4, as it already includes a life stage that Simmers have been requesting for several years, and is desperately needed inThe Sims 4.
The Sims 4’s Life Stages
WhileThe Sims 4has dominated the life sim space since it launched in 2000, it isn’t without room for improvement.The Sims 4launched without Toddlers, which it fixed when it added them in a free update years later. EA would later go on to add Infants, a completely new life stage, and change Babies to Newborns. These were big changes, and while the Toddler update was free, and Infants also arrived in a free update, mostInfant content was locked behind the expansion packThe Sims 4: Growing Together.
The Sims 4currently has eight life stages:
However, despite all these changes to life stages since launch, there is still room for improvement, especially tobridge the gap between Child and Teen. Some Simmers have complained that the age difference between Child and Teen Sims is far too big, with Child Sims appearing to be between eight to eleven years old, while Teens have the appearance of seventeen to eighteen. A life stage in-between this to bridge the gap would be welcomed, as many find this transition to be jarring.
InZOI’s Life Stages
InZOIalso has life stages, but they differ fromThe Sims 4’s life stages in that there are several more of them. This includes an adolescent life stage, which will cover the equivalent of the ages of eleven to fifteen years old. There are nine life stages currently planned forInZOI’s full launch, but only six will be available forInZOI’s Early Accesslaunch, with the rest to be added later.
The life stages forInZOIwill be:
LikeThe Sims 4, Zois will age up into the next life stage in a single moment, rather than transitioning slowly over time. However, having more stages between each life stage should make the transition appear smoother and feel less jarring for players. The adolescent life stage in particular has been requested byThe Sims 4community for a long time, and including it inInZOIgives it a big advantage overThe Sims 4. The final life stages should be included inInZOI’s May, October, or December’s planned Early Access updates in 2025.
