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Save System
February 10, 2026 at 08:03 AM
Comprehensive expansion with Go Back In Time, save file details, and management tips
To save manually, press ESC to open the game menu (or click the menu icon on the far right of the top bar). Two save options appear:
Save — overwrites the current save file with the current state of the world. If you loaded from a specific save, this replaces that exact file.
Save As — creates a brand new save file with a custom name you type in. The original save file remains untouched. You can create as many Save As files as you want.
Each save file represents an entire city and world state, not just a single household. Every Zoi, building, vehicle, and object in the city is captured in the save. Starting a new game creates a new city from scratch. If you want to play a different family in the same city, switch households using Edit City mode rather than starting a new save.
Autosave is enabled by default. Configure it in ESC > Options > Gameplay > Save. The available intervals are:
5 minutes — frequent saves, best for cautious players.
10 minutes — moderate frequency.
15 minutes — the default setting.
30 minutes — less frequent, for players who prefer fewer interruptions.
The autosave system uses three rolling slots. Each autosave writes to the next slot in rotation: slot 1, then slot 2, then slot 3, then back to slot 1. This means you always have access to the three most recent autosaves. If something goes wrong, you can load an autosave from 15, 30, or 45 minutes ago (at the default 15-minute interval).
There is no hard limit on the number of manual save files you can create using Save As. Each file gets a custom name, making it easy to label important milestones: "Before Wedding," "First Baby," "New House," etc. Save files can be loaded from the main menu or from the ESC > Load menu in-game.
When a Zoi dies, the game offers a "Go Back In Time" option. This reverts the world to a recent save state before the death occurred, giving you a chance to prevent it. The option appears on the death screen alongside other choices like accepting the death or becoming a ghost. Go Back In Time loads the most recent autosave or manual save before the fatal event, so having frequent autosaves increases the amount of progress you keep.
Create a Save As file before making major life decisions (marriage, career change, moving to a new lot) so you can revert if you change your mind.
Keep autosave at 5 or 10 minutes if you are experimenting with risky activities like fire or dangerous interactions.
Save files grow with city complexity. A heavily built-up city with many active Zois produces larger save files than a fresh one.
The three rolling autosave slots mean you should never rely on just one autosave. If you notice a problem, load the oldest slot for maximum rollback distance.
Cheats persist in save files. If you enabled freezeAllNeeds and saved, it remains active when you load.
