Overview
The October 2025 Update (version 0.4.0) launched on October 30, 2025, delivering inZOI's first seasonal event alongside several foundational system overhauls. The headline feature was a Halloween celebration that introduced pumpkin farming, jack-o'-lantern carving, trick-or-treat events, and ghost fish. Beyond seasonal content, the update added an entirely new afterlife phase where deceased Zois become playable ghosts for three in-game days before ascending. Supporting that system, new funeral-related properties (Funeral Home, Columbarium, and Cemetery) were placed in all three cities. The mentality system received its most significant restructuring to date, unifying traits, characteristics, ambitions, and urges into a single cohesive framework. The default in-game day length was also halved from 96 minutes to 48 minutes, and 144 new rabbit-hole career opportunity cards were added along with ten new social events.
In terms of raw content, the patch shipped over 100 new character customization items (face presets, hair, makeup, and accessories), 120 new building items, 38 unlockable Halloween cosmetics, and 58 unlockable Halloween building items. The Karma system was also simplified by removing the score counter and merging its interactions into the general social system. Overall, v0.4.0 was one of the largest Early Access updates, touching nearly every major gameplay system.
Halloween Seasonal Event
The Halloween event was inZOI's first seasonal content drop and served as a proof of concept for Krafton's plans for recurring real-world holiday tie-ins. During the event window, cities received themed decorations, and several exclusive activities became available.
Pumpkin Farming and Recipes
Pumpkins were added as a new seasonal crop. Players can grow them on their lot by purchasing seeds, or they can buy whole pumpkins from the Farming Supply Store or through the Pocket Market app. Once harvested, pumpkins can be used in three new recipes or taken to a crafting table for carving.
Recipe | Description |
|---|---|
Pumpkin Soup | A warm seasonal soup that satisfies hunger and provides a small comfort boost. |
Pumpkin Pie | A baked dessert that can be served at social gatherings or eaten as a personal treat. |
Pumpkin Candy | Small candy items that can be distributed during trick-or-treat events or consumed directly. |
Jack-o'-Lantern Carving
Harvested pumpkins can be processed at a crafting table to create jack-o'-lanterns. The carving system offers multiple face shapes and expressions to choose from. Finished jack-o'-lanterns have two uses: they can be placed around a lot as seasonal decorations, or Zois can wear them as headgear. The jack-o'-lanterns emit a soft glow at night, making them a popular choice for decorating porches and walkways during the event period.
Trick or Treat
A new Halloween Candy Basket object can be purchased and placed on a residential lot. Once placed, children NPCs from the neighborhood will visit the property at night to ask for candy. Giving candy to trick-or-treaters rewards the player with special Halloween-themed items. Some rare candy types yield extra special gifts. This system encourages players to engage with their neighborhood and provides a steady stream of seasonal rewards throughout the event period.
Ghost Fish
Five new ghost fish species were introduced as part of the seasonal event. These spectral fish only appear between 6 PM and 6 AM in-game time and have a faint glowing appearance that distinguishes them from regular catches. Ghost fish can be caught using standard fishing equipment at rivers and ocean locations. Once caught, they can be displayed in aquariums as trophies or sold for a premium price. The nighttime restriction and limited availability make ghost fish some of the more challenging catches in the game.
Unlockable Halloween Items
The event added 38 unlockable Halloween cosmetic items and 58 unlockable Halloween building items. These were earned through participation in Halloween activities and the Canvas event system. Unlike the standard catalog additions, these items were tied to the seasonal event and required active engagement with the trick-or-treat and pumpkin carving systems to unlock.
Ghost Gameplay
Version 0.4.0 introduced a full afterlife phase for Zois who die. Rather than simply being removed from the game, a deceased Zoi can be played as a ghost for three in-game days by selecting the "On to the Afterlife" option when the death event occurs. During this period, the ghost Zoi remains on the lot and retains their personality and relationships from life.
Ghost Zois have access to unique abilities that living Zois do not. By satisfying death-related urges during the three-day period, ghosts can unlock special ghost skills and trigger missions that reveal information about other ghosts in the area. These interactions give the afterlife phase its own set of goals and progression rather than treating it as a passive countdown.
After the three-day ghost period ends, the player can choose to ascend the ghost, which permanently removes them from active gameplay. When a ghost ascends, an urn is generated for the deceased Zoi, which can be used in the funeral system. It is worth noting that reincarnation was not included in v0.4.0 but was mentioned as a planned future feature.
Funeral System
To support the new ghost gameplay, three new property types were added to all cities (Dowon, Bliss Bay, and Cahaya): the Funeral Home, Columbarium, and Cemetery. When a Zoi living in the city or someone they know passes away, an urn is generated automatically. Players can hold a funeral using the "Make Event" option, which gathers household members, friends, and acquaintances for a mourning ceremony.
The funeral event functions similarly to other social events in the game. Attendees arrive, interact with one another, and pay their respects. How each attendee reacts depends on their relationship with the deceased and their current mentality state. Close family members experience stronger grief effects that can impact their mood and behavior for several in-game days after the event.
After the funeral, urns can be placed in the cemetery using the "Enshrine Deceased" interaction at the Columbarium. This provides a permanent memorial location that surviving Zois can visit. Urns are only generated for Zois who pass away after the v0.4.0 update, so earlier saves will not retroactively create them.
Mentality System Overhaul
The v0.4.0 update completely restructured the mentality system. Previously, traits, characteristics, ambitions, and urges existed as separate mechanics with limited interplay. The overhaul unified all of these under a single mentality framework, making each Zoi's personality more vivid and their behavior more internally consistent.
Trait Changes
Three overlapping trait pairs were consolidated. The Entertainer, Volunteer, and Collaborator traits were removed because they overlapped too heavily with other personality elements. In their place, three new traits were added: Troublemaker, Recluse, and Rulebreaker. These new traits represent the opposing ends of the same spectrums and give players access to personality archetypes that were previously underserved.
Removed Trait | Replaced By |
|---|---|
New Characteristics
Fifteen new characteristics were added to the system. Characteristics are personality modifiers that develop over the course of a Zoi's life based on their experiences, habits, and relationships. Examples of the new additions include Extroverted, Depressed, Bookworm, and Emotionally Needy. These characteristics layer on top of a Zoi's innate traits to create more nuanced behavior patterns. A Zoi with the Creative trait and the Bookworm characteristic, for instance, will prioritize reading and artistic activities in ways that neither element would produce alone.
Ambition Updates
Ambitions can now be selected during Zoi creation in the Character Creator, giving players direct control over their Zoi's long-term goals from the start. Previously, ambitions were assigned or discovered during gameplay. NPC Zois also received improvements: they are now automatically assigned ambitions that align with their trait profiles, which makes their behavior feel more purposeful and goal-oriented in the open world.
Urge Expansion
The urge system saw the largest numerical expansion. Over 140 entirely new urges were added to the game, and 120 existing urges were reworked to better respond to a Zoi's personality. Under the new system, a Zoi's traits, characteristics, and ambitions all influence which urges surface and how strongly they are felt. For example, a Zoi with a creative trait and an ambition to become an artist will feel stronger urges to paint when they encounter art supplies. The result is that moment-to-moment behavior feels more organic and connected to each Zoi's broader personality profile.
Day Length Rebalancing
One of the most impactful gameplay changes in v0.4.0 was the reduction of the default in-game day length from 96 real-world minutes down to 48 minutes. Many players had felt that the original pace was too slow, with tasks stretching out unnecessarily and waiting periods feeling tedious. The shorter day cycle makes morning routines, work shifts, social activities, and evening wind-downs fit into a more natural rhythm.
Sleep, meal, and commute durations were all rebalanced to match the new default. Nap schedules, wake-up times, and meal timing were adjusted so that Zois still have enough time to accomplish their daily goals without the day feeling compressed. Players who prefer the original pacing can switch back to the 96-minute cycle in Game Options under Simulation and Day Length. Community response to this change was overwhelmingly positive, with most players reporting that the game felt significantly better paced.
Karma System Changes
The visible Karma score, icons, and dedicated menu items were removed in v0.4.0. The interactions that were previously gated behind the Karma system were merged into the general interaction system, making them available based on relationship status and personality rather than a separate numerical score. This simplification reduced UI clutter and streamlined social interactions without removing the underlying behaviors that Karma previously governed.
Social Events and Interactions
Ten new social events were added to the game, expanding the range of activities that Zois can organize or be invited to. These new events help flesh out the social simulation and provide more variety in how Zois spend their time outside of work and home routines.
Event Type | Description |
|---|---|
Blind Dates | Zois can be set up on blind dates through mutual friends or the smartphone app. |
Group Study | Teen and young adult Zois can form study groups that build friendships and boost skill gain. |
Fitness Club | Organized group workouts at gym or outdoor fitness locations. |
A new burglar break-in event was also introduced, adding an element of risk to residential life. When a burglary occurs, Zois can react based on their personality: brave Zois may confront the intruder, while timid ones hide. Dynamic crowd roles were expanded as well, with new NPC types including police officers, thieves, street cleaners, and street artists appearing in city environments.
Age-Specific Interactions
Several new interactions were added for specific life stages. These additions fill in behavioral gaps that players had been requesting since the early access launch.
Life Stage | New Interactions |
|---|---|
Give Formula, Do Baby Stretches | |
Reprimand | |
Teens / Romantic | Use Smartphone While Lying Down, Share Earphones, Break Off Engagement |
Cooperative | Play Bowling, Play Billiards |
Career and Financial Updates
The career system received 144 new rabbit-hole career opportunity cards, which are randomized events that pop up while a Zoi is at work. These cards present choices that can affect job performance, relationships with coworkers, and career progression. New jobs were added in Dowon and Bliss Bay, expanding employment options in both cities.
The loan system also saw improvements. Overdue loans now trigger text message reminders and may affect the borrower's relationship status with NPCs who become aware of the debt. A new Side Job rabbit-hole event was added as an additional income source for Zois who need extra money. Immediate loan repayment is now possible through the computer or smartphone, removing the need to travel to a bank. Initial move-in funds for new games were also increased, giving players more financial breathing room at the start.
City and Property Improvements
Beyond the funeral-related properties, all three cities received updates to their community spaces. New club lounges with pool tables and bowling lanes were added to Dowon and Bliss Bay. Cahaya gained a Beach Club and a Wedding Studio as new community destinations. New street objects including drinking fountains, fitness equipment, and lifeguard stands were placed throughout city environments. The probability of death from natural disasters and extreme temperatures was reduced, and residential property presets were updated.
Players gained the ability to edit non-player lots directly through the Edit City menu (accessed with the M key) using the Edit Property option. A new Photo Mode smartphone app was also added, giving players a dedicated interface for in-game photography. Teleportation was introduced as a convenience feature, allowing Zois to instantly move to scheduled event locations rather than commuting.
Character Customization and Build Mode
The Character Creator gained 100 new items spanning face presets, hair styles, facial hair, makeup options, and accessories. New makeup presets were added for faster character creation, along with randomizer buttons for individual categories. Five new poses per age and gender combination were added, and a new studio background was introduced for the creation interface.
Build mode received 120 new items covering bedroom, living room, outdoor, and special effects categories. New double-door models and dishwashers were added as functional objects. The Smart Snap feature (activated by pressing X) helps with precise object alignment. Overlapping roofs became possible for the first time, and wall guidelines were added to assist with room layout. An experimental AI Build feature was also introduced for Windows users with NVIDIA RTX 3000 series or AMD RX 6000 series graphics cards or newer.
ModKit and Mod Support
The modding ecosystem received several upgrades. Localization mods are now supported through a new wizard in the ModKit. The Mod Browser gained auto-install functionality for CurseForge mods, reducing friction for players who want to use community-created content. Improved wizards were added for creating hair and skin mods, doors, fences, and windows. New ModKit (Unreal Engine 5) tutorials were published to help modders get started with content creation.
Performance and Audio
Graphics optimizations improved frame rates and loading times across the board. A new option to disable the Nanite feature was added for players with lower-end graphics hardware. Support for high sampling rate audio devices was introduced. The lobby and in-game music received updates, including new Halloween-themed tracks created using the game's AI music system.
Notable Bug Fixes
Version 0.4.0 addressed a wide range of bugs across multiple systems. Due to the complexity of the simulation, the developers recommended backing up save files before updating.
Fixed an issue where Zoi eyelids and eyeballs behaved incorrectly during sleep animations
Resolved a bug that caused caught fish to float in the air instead of appearing in the inventory
Fixed male Zoi scooter animations that played incorrectly
Corrected toddler portrait display issues in the UI
Resolved a problem that allowed vehicle use inside prison lots
Fixed step transition errors in build mode when switching between floors
Addressed interaction bugs with Surf the Waves, delivery dialogs, thought bubble icons, and online-date mechanics
Fixed short hair duplication and gender change issues after applying presets in the Character Creator
Resolved frame drop issues in the lobby caused by certain mods
Fixed baby interaction labels displaying incorrectly