Deaths

Deaths overview

Death is a significant and permanent mechanic in inZOI. Zois can die from a wide range of causes. Starvation, fire, electrocution, car accidents, disease, loneliness, and more. The developers have planned 16 death types, of which 15 are currently confirmed in Early Access. When a Zoi dies, their accumulated karma determines whether they pass peacefully to the afterlife or become a ghost that haunts the city. Children are protected from death. They are removed by Child Protection Services instead. Understanding death mechanics is essential because allowing too many ghosts to accumulate can have devastating consequences for an entire city.

All confirmed causes of death

The 16th planned death type has not been identified yet and may be added in a future Early Access update.

What happens when a Zoi dies

When a Zoi dies, the game presents four options:

1. "On to the Afterlife". The Zoi's fate is determined by their accumulated karma (see Karma section below)

2. Continue with remaining family. Switch control to another playable Zoi in the household

3. Select a new family. If no playable Zois remain in the household

4. Go Back In Time. Reload a previous save to reverse the death entirely

Choosing "On to the Afterlife" is permanent and cannot be undone. The Go Back In Time option is the only way to truly save a Zoi from death.

Karma system

Every Zoi accumulates karma throughout their life. Karma determines what happens after death:

How karma works

• Positive karma: Helping others, complimenting, positive social interactions, being kind

• Negative karma: Rude behavior, causing harm, antisocial actions, criminal activities, neglecting others

• Karma accumulates over a Zoi's entire lifetime. A lifetime of kindness results in good karma even if they have a few bad moments

• Karma cannot be checked directly. It is evaluated at the moment of death

Ghost system

Zois with bad karma become ghosts after death. Ghosts remain in the game world for approximately three in-game days and can attempt redemption:

• Ghosts must perform good deeds to restore their karma score

• Ghosts can unlock special abilities by fulfilling death-related urges

• Once karma is restored, the ghost passes on peacefully

• If karma is not restored within the time limit, the ghost fades but the negative karmic impact on the city remains

Ghost town consequence

This is the most severe consequence of the death system. If too many Zois become ghosts in a single city:

• New Zois cannot be born. Families cannot form and the population declines

• The city becomes a "ghost town". A literal collapse of the social fabric

• Players must actively manage karma across the entire city to prevent this

• Cleansing a ghost town requires resolving the karma of existing ghosts through good deeds

The ghost town mechanic means death in inZOI has consequences beyond the individual Zoi. It affects the entire community. This makes karma management a city-wide strategic concern.

Ghost system status (Early Access)

The full ghost system is still under development. In the current Early Access build:

• Players can access an experimental ghost mode by repeatedly pressing Esc during the death menus

• Ghosts currently lack proper character models and cannot interact with objects

• The ghost's only functional need is karma redemption

• Full ghost models, interactions, abilities, and ghost-specific skills are planned for a future update

Child protection

Children cannot die in inZOI. If a child Zoi's needs reach critically low levels across multiple categories (hunger, sleep, social), they are removed by Child Protection Services rather than dying. The child is permanently removed from the household and cannot be recovered. This applies to toddler and child life stages only. Teenagers can die from the standard causes.

Indirect killing methods

Players have discovered several ways to indirectly cause Zoi deaths through environmental manipulation:

• Remove ladders from swimming pools to cause drowning

• Lock Zois in rooms without food access to cause starvation

• Place faulty electronics near Zois with low Housework skill

• Build rooms without exits and start fires

• Force Zois into heavy traffic areas

These methods are available for player experimentation but will generate bad karma, potentially creating ghosts and contributing to ghost town conditions.

Tips

• Starvation is the most common accidental death. Always keep refrigerators stocked and cooking enabled

• The Go Back In Time option is your safety net. Use it if an important Zoi dies unexpectedly

• Pay attention to karma throughout a Zoi's life. By the time they die, it is too late to change their karmic balance

• Fix broken fixtures immediately. Wet floors from broken plumbing cause more deaths than you would expect

• The Housework skill reduces electrocution risk during repairs. Level it up before attempting DIY fixes

• Monitor the ghost population in your city. If ghosts start accumulating, prioritize helping them complete karma redemption

• Old age is unavoidable. Use the Zoi's final days to ensure their karma is positive for a peaceful passing

• Child Protection Services removal is permanent. Keep children's needs above critical levels at all times