inZOI Death & Ghost Mechanics Explained
Death is an inevitable part of life, even for the virtual inhabitants of inZOI. Understanding how death occurs, what happens afterwards, and the role of ghosts is crucial for navigating the full life cycle simulation and managing your city's unique ecosystem.
How Zois Can Die
Zois can meet their end through a variety of circumstances, ranging from natural causes to accidents and neglect:
| Cause of Death | Description |
|---|---|
| Old Age | The natural conclusion of a Zoi's lifespan, typically occurring during the Senior life stage. |
| Starvation (Malnutrition) | Failing to meet the Hunger need for an extended period. |
| Sleep Deprivation | Prolonged lack of sleep leads to exhaustion and death. Warnings appear before it becomes fatal. |
| Fire | Getting caught in a house fire, often caused by kitchen accidents or broken appliances left unattended. |
| Car Accident | Being hit by a car driven by a playable Zoi. Can affect both playable and street Zois. |
| Electrocution | Can occur randomly when failing a hack attempt on an ATM, or potentially from repairing broken electronics. |
| Falling (Slipping) | Slipping on wet surfaces (like bathrooms or kitchens with leaks) can lead to fatal falls. |
| Lack of Recognition (Running Away / Indirect) | While not direct death, critically low Recognition need causes a Zoi to run away permanently from the household. |
| Disease | Untreated diseases can lead to death. |
| Pollution | Extended exposure to high pollution levels may be fatal. |
| Extreme Anger (Removed?) | Death from prolonged intense anger was present in early playtests but may not be in Early Access. |
| Food Poisoning (Removed?) | Death from eating spoiled food was possible in early playtests, now spoiled food seems unusable. |
(Note: Disease and Pollution deaths require more confirmation in the current build. Anger and Food Poisoning deaths may have been removed since early playtests).
What Happens After Death? The Karma Connection
A Zoi's fate after death is directly tied to their Karma level:
- Good or Normal Karma: The Zoi passes peacefully into the afterlife. They cease to exist in the playable world.
- Bad or Terrible Karma: The Zoi becomes a Ghost, their soul lingering in the city.
Nyx the cat informs you about the Zoi's fate after death, explaining the Ghost mechanic for those with bad Karma.
Ghost Mechanics
Ghosts are an integral part of the inZOI world, adding consequences to negative actions and offering unique gameplay opportunities (especially with the upcoming Ghost Play feature).
- Becoming a Ghost: Dying with Poor or Terrible Karma traps the Zoi's soul as a Ghost.
- Goal of a Ghost: The primary goal is to improve their Karma through good deeds to eventually reach the afterlife. The specific actions ghosts can perform are yet to be fully revealed.
- Ghost Play Feature: Planned for the August 2025 update, this feature will allow players to directly control Ghost Zois and work towards their redemption.
- Ghost Interactions: Currently, ghosts are mostly non-interactive, but future updates promise:
- Ghost Encounters: Living Zois might encounter ghosts, potentially causing fear or negative moodlets.
- Emotional Reunions: Possibility of poignant interactions between living Zois and their ghostly loved ones.
- Ghost Behavior: Ghosts will inherit traits from their life, influencing their behavior (e.g., a bully Zoi might become a mischievous spirit). Cultural influences (like Korean folklore for Dowon ghosts) are planned.
- Consequences of Too Many Ghosts: An excess of ghosts in a city can negatively impact the city's population dynamics, making it harder to add new Zois or for families to grow. This emphasizes the importance of managing city-wide Karma.
- Ghost Appearance Slider: A planned feature will allow players to control the density of ghosts appearing in their city.
- Ghost Expert Job: A potential future career focused on interacting with or studying ghosts.
- Undertaker Service: Players can call an Undertaker via the Smartphone's PocketMarket. While currently non-functional, future options like "Request for Soul to Be at Rest" suggest ways to manage ghosts.
Player Options Upon Zoi Death
When a Zoi you control dies, the game presents several options:
- Continue Playing with Original Family: Control shifts to the remaining members of the household.
- Select New Family: If the deceased Zoi was the last member of your active household, you must choose another existing family in the city to play.
- Go Back in Time: This option allows you to load a previous save file (manual or autosave) from before the death occurred, effectively undoing it.
Can Children Die in inZOI?
No. Zois in the Child life stage do not die from neglect or accidents. If their needs become critically low, they are instead sent to the Child Protection Agency and removed from the household permanently.
Death and the potential for ghosts add significant consequence and depth to the inZOI simulation. Managing your Zois' needs, safety, and especially their Karma, becomes crucial not only for their individual lives but for the overall balance of your city.