The Sims 4 Update Causes Rapid Aging and Incestual Relationships

The Sims 4 introduced a free update this week, which would cause super-rapid aging and incestuous relationships. The news comes from a report from PC Gamer, which suggests the latest patch shipped with a bug, before the High School Years expansion launched. The download was meant to bring back notable features from The Sims 3, including curved walls, body hair, and new fears and desires. EA-owned developer Maxis has acknowledged the issue and is working on a fix.

Reports from The Sims 4 Community website that the rapid aging bug only affects those who use the “short” or “long” lifespan options for their Sims. Those who check the “normal” category do not seem to be affected by this bug. One person on Twitter claims that their entire Sims household is aging in minutes. “Children are teenagers and young adults are almost elders. None of their birthdays were approaching. What can I do to solve this problem? reads the tweet.

Meanwhile, on Reddit, another gamer talked about her experience with the new Sims 4 update. The attached screenshot reveals an older woman who suddenly wanted to start a relationship with her son. This bug came with the newly added Wants feature, which prompts Sims with certain goals or things they want to do. The system was available in older Sims games and now forces characters to chase a family member. A message on the EA bug support thread reads: “The new Wants system has given my sim the ‘want’ to ask his twin sister to be his girlfriend.”

A Sims developer acknowledged these reports on Twitter saying, “I just wanted to acknowledge that wanting to date a family member is something we know, we’ve bred, we’re working on it.” The Official Sims Twitter username also addressed the situation by asking players to temporarily play with the “normal” lifespan option and creating new saves while they work on a solution.

This new update comes with the High School Years expansion pack, which adds new decorations, experiences, in-person classes and teachers, and more to The Sims 4. The update also included the ability to choose a sexual orientation via a toggle. These parameters are accessible from the start, when the player creates his virtual character. You can alternate between genders, romantic attractions, and the gender you would like to explore casual sex with.

The Sims 4 High School Years Expansion Pack is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series S/X, and Xbox One.

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