The code suggests that babies might finally be freed from existing merely as in-game objects, but before we begin, let’s just preface this with a little disclaimer that at the time of writing, this is just speculation.
A Sims 4 modder, RAASHEEN, shared an interesting bit of code on Twitter over the weekend. It suggests that the baby update players have been asking for for years might be in the works already.
The discovery of a new interaction, which allows Sims to ‘wash’ toddlers in sinks, has added fuel to the speculation fire. [In previous editions of The Sims, it was possible to wash babies in the sinks].
Anyway, here’s the Tweet sharing the game code that’s got many players hopeful about a looming baby update.
Right now, babies in The Sims 4 (and actually all babies before them) exist merely as objects. That’s why you can find them in build/buy mode when you are using those cheats.
Updating babies in The Sims 4 comes with a number of challenges, though. We have previously explored the challenges that come with updating babies in the game, but for a TL:DR ? getting rid of the ?object baby? will in all likelihood cause havoc with pretty much every single save file.
One sort of ‘in-between’ solution is to keep the objects and add an additional life-stage – babies – to the game. That would also allow players who can’t be bothered with the whole cleaning-a-tiny-Sim’s-angry-poop thing to just skip it.
Hints in game code should be taken with a pinch of salt, of course. However, as YouTuber Iron Seagull pointed out in his video, the Cats & Dogs pack was ‘leaked’ in a similar way.
At the time of writing, there was nothing to suggest that an update to babies was definitely coming – or even when it might appear. What we do know is that The Sims 4 team do not consider the parenthood pack to be akin to a generations pack.
The game has increasingly built on developing how Sims respond to life events and other Sims, though. Earlier this year, with the release of the Nifty Knitting Stuff Pack, the ability for elders to ‘reminisce’ was added.
The November update added Sentiments, allow two Sims to feel differently about the same event, amongst other things. And despite there being a lot of (unconfirmed) speculation about the release of The Sims 5, EA said recently that they expect 2021 to be another ‘big year’ for The Sims 4.