Household Management

Overview

A household in inZOI is a group of Zois who share a home lot and financial resources. The player controls all Zois in the active household, switching between them with the Space key. Households can contain up to 8 members across multiple generations, including children, teenagers, and adults. Household management is handled through the Manage Family screen, accessed via Smartphone > City Map (M key) > Manage Zois > Manage Family.

Household Limits

When a household reaches 8 members, pregnancy attempts will not succeed. A Zoi must leave or die before a new member can be added.

Adding Members

New Zois can join a household through several methods:

Removing Members

Zois cannot be permanently deleted from the game. To remove a Zoi from a household, move them to a different family:

• Move to another family: Use the Move Zois Between Families tool to transfer them to an existing household or create a temporary family.

• Divorce: The ex-spouse moves out into their own household.

• Death: Natural or accidental death removes the Zoi permanently.

• Running away: Zois with critically low Recognition leave the household permanently.

• Child Protection: Children whose needs become critically low are taken away by the Child Protection Agency.

Babies and toddlers cannot be transferred between households. They must remain with their current family until they age into the Child life stage.

Splitting and Merging Families

Households can be split apart or merged together through the Manage Family screen:

• Open the City Map (M key), select Manage Zois, then go to the Manage Family tab.

• Press the "Move Zois Between Families" button at the top of the family list.

• Select two families (or click "Create Temporary Family" for a new empty household).

• Move individual Zois between the two selected families.

• Use the Meow slider to decide how household assets are divided between the families.

Moving Zois between families does not change their personal traits, skills, relationships outside the household, or surnames. Only their household assignment changes.

Financial Management

All household members share a single Meow balance. Income from all employed Zois pools together, and expenses draw from the same fund.

Relationships

When creating or editing a household, the available relationship types are:

Existing relationships cannot be changed after creation. Grandparent bonds form automatically when a child's parent also has a parent in the household. To set up a roommate arrangement between unmarried Zois, use the Move Zois Between Families tool rather than the Ask to Move In social interaction.

Moving Between Cities

Households can relocate to a different city, though the process has limitations:

• Have the Zoi interact with a computer and select "Learn how to get to another city."

• A minimum of 5,000 Meow is required to access the move option.

• The smartphone travel function and airport shuttles can also initiate the move.

• During travel, the Zoi loses access to relationships with residents of their home city (except family members). These connections are restored if they return.

NPC Integration

NPCs are non-playable Zois who populate the city. They cannot be directly added to a household. The primary way to integrate an NPC into a playable household is through marriage: befriend and date the NPC, then marry them. After the wedding, the NPC becomes a fully controllable household member.

New NPC families automatically move into unoccupied homes in the city, keeping the population active. Non-active households (families you created but are not currently playing) function as NPCs.

Business Inheritance

Starting with the v0.5.0 update (December 2025), family businesses can be inherited by other household members. When a Zoi who owns a business dies or becomes a Senior, business ownership can transfer to another adult family member. This allows multi-generational business dynasties without losing progress when the founding Zoi ages out.

Needs and Autonomy

Each Zoi has eight needs divided into physical (Hunger, Sleep, Hygiene, Bathroom) and mental (Fun, Social, Recognition, Energy). All needs decline over time. The need gauge changes color based on severity: white is safe, yellow is significant, and red is severe.

The Autonomy system (toggled with T) lets uncontrolled household members handle their own basic needs. Autonomous Zois eat when hungry, sleep when tired, and use the bathroom without player input. They occasionally make poor choices but generally keep themselves alive.

Tips

• Keep household size in mind before weddings or pregnancies. The 8-Zoi limit is firm.

• Multiple working Zois maximize income. Coordinate schedules so someone is always home for childcare.

• Enable Autonomy (T key) for Zois you are not actively controlling.

• The welfare system provides a safety net at 1,000 Meow, but avoid relying on it.

• When splitting families, use the Meow slider to fairly divide assets.

• Moving to another city costs at least 5,000 Meow and temporarily cuts non-family relationships.