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Why Aren’t My Elderly Sims Dying? A Comprehensive Guide to Sim Death and Longevity

So, you’ve got a Sim who’s reached the twilight years, their life bar is full, and you’re patiently (or impatiently) waiting for them to shuffle off this mortal coil. But they just keep puttering around, tending their garden, and baking endless batches of cookies. What’s going on? Why won’t your elderly Sim die?

The simple answer is that reaching the end of the Elder life stage in The Sims 4 doesn’t guarantee immediate death. Think of it more like reaching the starting line of a marathon. Your Sim is now eligible to die of old age, but the game essentially rolls a die each Sim day to determine if today is the day. It’s a matter of probability and, sometimes, frustratingly good luck for your Sim. The game uses a calculation based on the Sim’s current state, and sometimes the dice don’t roll your way for quite a while.

Understanding the Elder Life Stage and Death Mechanics

The Sims 4, while seemingly simple, operates on complex algorithms and hidden mechanics. The Elder life stage is a prime example. Once a Sim ages into an Elder, their lifespan becomes variable. They could pass away within a few in-game days, or they could linger for what feels like an eternity. Several factors influence this:

Lifespan Settings: The length of your game’s lifespan setting (Short, Normal, Long) directly impacts how long Elders live. A longer lifespan means Elders will have a significantly extended period before they’re likely to die.
Sim’s Health and Mood: A Sim in good health, with positive moodlets, is less likely to die than a Sim who is constantly exhausted, stressed, or has negative moodlets. Keeping your Elder Sim happy and comfortable can inadvertently prolong their life.
Random Chance: Ultimately, death in The Sims 4, especially from old age, involves an element of randomness. Even with all the other factors considered, the game still rolls the virtual dice to determine if a Sim will die on any given day.

Expediting the Inevitable (If You Must)

If you’re eager to move on or need to free up space in your household, there are a few ways to increase the likelihood of your Elder Sim’s demise:

Risky Behavior: Elders are more susceptible to death from overexertion. Having them engage in strenuous activities like exercising, WooHooing (especially multiple times in a row), or performing physically demanding chores while tired can significantly increase their chances of kicking the bucket.
Negative Moodlets: Expose them to negative influences. Let their needs decay, put them in uncomfortable situations, and generally make their Sim lives miserable. While not a guaranteed kill switch, it will lower their overall well-being and possibly hasten their demise.
Extreme Weather: In Seasons, overheating or freezing to death is a possibility. During a heatwave, make your Sim wear heavy clothing and stand near a fireplace. Conversely, in winter, force them outside in their swimwear.
Cheats: Let’s be honest, sometimes you just want things done. Using cheats is the most direct and reliable way to trigger death. The cheat traits.equip_trait trait_ghost_oldage will instantly kill your Sim from old age. Remember to enable cheats first by typing testingcheats true in the cheat console (accessed by pressing Ctrl+Shift+C).

Important Note: Messing with cheats can sometimes create unexpected problems in your game. Use with caution!

Preventing Unwanted Deaths

Conversely, if you’re attached to your Elder Sim and want them to live longer, focus on maximizing their comfort, happiness, and health. Ensure their needs are met, give them plenty of positive interactions, and avoid risky activities. You can also turn off aging for played households in the game options.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Sim Deaths

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about Sim deaths in The Sims 4, offering a more detailed look into the mechanics and possibilities of mortality in the game:

Can I stop Sims from dying of old age altogether? Yes. In the game options, under “Gameplay,” you can find a dropdown for “Auto Age (Played Sims).” Setting this to “No” will disable aging for all households you’ve played. Setting it to “Only Active Household” will disable aging only for the currently played household. This can be useful if you want to prevent your favorite Sims from aging or dying.
How long do Seniors typically live in The Sims 4? On a normal lifespan, once a Sim becomes an Elder and their age meter is full, they may live for up to 48 Sim hours (two in-game days). However, this is highly variable, and they can live much longer, especially if they are healthy and happy. This is dependent on multiple factors, like if the Sim has completed Aspirations and gained rewards.
Can Elder Sims die from anything other than old age? Absolutely! Elders can die from all the same causes as younger Sims, including: Fire, Electrocution, Drowning, Starvation, Overexertion, Anger, Embarrassment, Fear, Pufferfish Nigiri, the Murkiness Wellness Center sauna, and more. Overexertion is particularly common in Elders due to their reduced physical stamina.
Can I bring a Sim back to life after they die? Yes, there are several ways to resurrect a Sim. One way is through the Ambrosia recipe. Another is to plead with the Grim Reaper, though the success of this depends on your Sim’s relationship with the Grim Reaper.
What happens when a Sim dies? When a Sim dies, the Grim Reaper appears to escort their soul. You’ll receive a notification, and their ghost will become part of your household (unless you choose to release them to the netherworld). Ghosts can interact with the world in unique ways, and you can even bring them back to life. You can see more about that here on the Games Learning Society website, which focuses on using games in education: https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.
Can I control the Grim Reaper? In the base game, you cannot directly control the Grim Reaper. However, you can influence his decisions by pleading for a Sim’s life. With mods, you can gain more control over the Grim Reaper, even making him a playable character. Using “traits.remove_trait IsGrimReaper” allows one to remove the Reaper features for interactions such as woohoo or trying for a baby.
Can Elder Sims still get pregnant or get others pregnant? Female Sims cannot get pregnant once they reach the Elder stage (or near the end of adulthood). However, male Elder Sims can still impregnate younger female Sims. So, proceed with caution (or enthusiasm!).
What’s the deal with Sugar Skulls and death? Sugar Skulls are related to the Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) holiday in The Sims 4. Leaving a Sugar Skull offering at a tombstone or urn at night can summon a “Celebrator” NPC who can gift you a Sugar Skull. Collecting all the Sugar Skulls unlocks a special interaction with the Grim Reaper.
Can Sims die from laughter? Yes, Sims can die from being too playful, having too many happy moodlets at once. Death by Hysteria is more common in Sims with the goofball trait, but any Sim can experience it.
Do pets die of old age in The Sims 4? Yes, pets can die of old age in The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs Expansion Pack. Similar to Sims, their lifespan is influenced by the lifespan setting and their overall health.
How do I make a ghost Sim playable? To make a ghost Sim playable, you first need to invite them to your household. Then, you can use Ambrosia or other methods to bring them back to life. Once they are alive again, they become fully playable.
Can I cheat to bring a Sim back to life? Yes, you can use cheats to resurrect a Sim. The simplest method is to add the Sim to your household as a ghost, then use cheats to remove the “ghost” trait, effectively bringing them back to life.
Is there a way to see how long my Sim has left to live? While there isn’t an exact countdown timer, you can get a sense of how long your Sim has left by observing their age bar. If it’s full, they are nearing the end of their life. Additionally, certain mods can provide more precise lifespan information.
Why did my Sim age up unexpectedly? A common bug in The Sims 4 can cause Sims to age up unexpectedly, often when transitioning between lots. This is more prevalent in saves with long lifespans. Keeping your game updated can help reduce the likelihood of encountering this bug.
Can children or teens die in The Sims 4? By default, children and teens cannot die in The Sims 4. However, with certain mods or accidental glitches, it is possible for them to die, though it is rare.

Conclusion

Death is an inevitable part of The Sims 4, but it doesn’t always happen when you expect it. Understanding the mechanics behind the Elder life stage and the factors that influence death can help you either prolong or expedite your Sims’ journey to the afterlife. Whether you’re trying to keep your beloved Sims alive or clear out space for a new generation, these tips and FAQs should provide you with the knowledge you need to navigate the complexities of mortality in the game. Good luck, and may your Sims rest in peace (eventually)!

Why aren t my elderly Sims dying?