Remote Work
Guide to remote work and work-from-home mechanics in inZOI. Covers current home-based income methods (selling items, freelance activities), the confirmed Q1 2026 roadmap addition of formal remote work to the career system, and how working from home compares to traditional careers.
Remote Work
Remote work as a formal career option is confirmed for inZOI on the Q1 2026 roadmap, which lists enhanced job systems supporting "multiple jobs, interviews, remote work, and performance evaluation." In the current Early Access version, there is no official remote work career track. However, Zois can already earn income from home through several creative and digital activities, effectively working from home without a formal employer. Freelance careers including writing, game development, photography, and blogging are planned for Q2 2026.
Current Home-Based Income Methods
Although formal remote work careers do not exist yet, Zois have multiple ways to earn Meow without leaving the house. These activities use household furniture and equipment, primarily computers and crafting stations.
Computer-Based Income
A computer or laptop is the most versatile home income tool. Zois can use it to create and sell digital products:
Activity | Skill Used | How to Sell | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Write novels/books | Sell directly through the computer | Fast money maker. Books sell instantly with no travel needed. | |
Code programs/apps | Sell directly through the computer | Viable income for a 3-Zoi family. Higher skill levels unlock better-paying programs. | |
Compose music | Sell directly through the computer | Requires Instrument level 2+. Unlocks genres at levels 2, 4, and 6. See Music and Radio. | |
Produce videos | Sell directly through the computer | Quality improves with higher Media Production skill. |
For all computer-based creations, click on the computer, instruct your Zoi to create the item, then select "Sell" once the item is finished. The sale is processed immediately with no intermediary steps. Income scales with skill level, as higher-quality products command better prices.
Crafted Item Sales
Physical items created at home can be sold through the Pocket Market app on the smartphone or through direct inventory sales:
Item | Required Furniture | Skill Used | Sales Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
Paintings | Easel | Pocket Market app or direct inventory sale | |
Bonsai trees | Garden setup | Pocket Market app | |
Crafted furniture | Furniture Workbench | Direct inventory sale | |
Jewelry | Crafting table | Direct inventory sale | |
Harvested crops | Garden plots | Each good-quality harvest earns 500 Meow |
The Pocket Market is a built-in smartphone app that lets you list crafted items for sale to other residents of the city. To sell: open your Zoi's inventory through the bottom-screen button, select the item, and click the sell button. For Pocket Market listings, other Zois in the city will browse and purchase your items over time.
Home Income vs. Traditional Careers
Working from home through creative activities has several advantages and trade-offs compared to traditional careers:
Factor | Home Income | Traditional Career |
|---|---|---|
Schedule | Fully flexible. Work any time. | Fixed schedule (typically 3 days/week, set hours). |
Commute | None. Stay at home. | Zoi takes a taxi to the workplace. |
Income ceiling | Depends on skill level and production speed. Can be very profitable at high levels. | Top-tier salaries reach 1,800+ Meow/day (e.g., Partner Lawyer: 2,040/day). |
Skill development | Naturally levels relevant skills while producing items. | Some active careers provide direct skill experience during tasks. |
Social interaction | None. Zoi works alone. | Active careers involve coworkers and workplace events. |
Promotion path | No formal promotions. Income grows as skill increases. | Multi-tier promotion tracks with specific requirements. |
For Zois who need flexibility (for example, parents managing toddlers or Zois running a business on the side), home-based income provides a reliable way to earn Meow without the rigid schedule of traditional employment.
Business Ownership as Home-Adjacent Work
The business ownership system introduced in v0.5.0 (December 2025) provides another form of self-directed work. While business properties operate at a separate location from your residential lot, the owner controls all aspects of operations. This is closer to entrepreneurship than traditional employment, and many of the same skills used for home-based income (Cooking, Baking, Coffee Craft, Drink Mixing) are directly applicable to running a business.
2026 Roadmap: Formal Remote Work
The official 2026 roadmap, published by director Kjun on December 26, 2025, confirms several career system enhancements that will introduce formal remote work:
Q1 2026: Enhanced Job System
Feature | Description |
|---|---|
Remote work | the ability to work from home as part of a traditional career rather than commuting to a workplace. This would allow Zois to hold conventional jobs while staying at home, potentially combining career progression with household responsibilities. |
Multiple jobs | Zois will be able to hold more than one job simultaneously, opening the door to combining a remote position with a part-time job or freelance activity. |
Job interviews | a hiring process beyond the current instant-acceptance system. See Job Interviews for details. |
Performance evaluation | formal reviews that affect career progression. See Performance Reviews for details. |
Q2 2026: Freelance Careers
Feature | Description |
|---|---|
a formal freelance career path for authors and writers, building on the current ability to write and sell books from a computer. | |
Game development | a freelance career path for creating and selling games, extending the existing Programming skill. |
Photography | a freelance career leveraging the Media Production skill and Photo Mode system. |
Blogging | a new freelance career for creating and monetizing online content. |
Careers for elderly Zois | age-appropriate career options for Zois in the Elder life stage, who currently face mandatory retirement from most traditional careers. |
Additional career expansions mentioned on the roadmap include taxi driver positions, food truck operations, and delivery jobs. New careers including musicians, couriers, and writers are listed under the "Fundamentals First" improvements to the economy and jobs system.
As with all roadmap items, the developers have cautioned that specific features and timelines are subject to change. Some features may shift between quarters or may prove technically challenging to implement within the planned timeframe.