A recent patch for The Sims 4 has caused Sims to autonomously pick fights with other Sims, and fans are searching for solutions. The latest patch accompanied The Sims 4 base game becoming free for all new players, and it included additions like an updated tutorial feature, a new Loyal trait for Sims, and furniture items celebrating the game's 22-year anniversary.
A new article from SimsCommunity has brought to light a rampant issue sparked by the latest Sims 4 patch, highlighting a thread on the EA Answers forum with players complaining about their Sims constantly performing mean interactions autonomously. Since the patch went live, players have noticed Sims frequently insulting and picking fights with others, even those they have a high relationship with. The thread's OP, ChickNuggEnthuse, noted that the glitch even affected Sims in a loving, happy family, all devoid of mischief traits or skills. User kittenayngel added that "Sims in every world are destroying their relationships with these mean interactions, which makes the game completely unplayable, and heartbreaking."
This Sims 4 Cruelty Glitch Has Serious Repercussions For Storytelling
For players who enjoy crafting in-game narratives, Sims 4 personality traits are a must-have for making unique characters and stories, as these traits help dictate their actions. Typically, letting Sims act autonomously is a good way for players to observe how a family's narrative is progressing without micromanaging. While players will still control their Sims when it comes to important things like fulfilling their basic needs or going to work, part of the fun of The Sims 4 is seeing what Sims do of their own accord and letting them further their own story.
When Sims perform mean interactions with others, they not only damage their relationship level with the Sim, but can form negative sentiments as well that have a long-lasting impact on the way the two Sims interact. To a point this damage can be remedied by things like Sims 4 relationship cheats for romance and friendship, as well as mods like MCCC that can disable autonomous mean interactions. It's also been discovered that Sims with the new Loyal trait aren't affected by this bug. However, Simmers shouldn't have to use cheats and outside resources just to avoid relationship-destroying glitches.
At this point, fans have been disappointed by broken Sims 4 updates so many times that it's unfortunately begun to feel par for the course with the franchise. Currently, this latest glitch has been affecting players for multiple weeks with no solution from EA in sight. In the past, bugs that have accompanied updates have done everything from making Sims in The Sims 4 accidentally famous to causing rapid aging that led to many premature Sim deaths. There's been no word from EA yet on a patch for this new bug that's making Sims excessively cruel, so Sims 4 players will have to make due with other temporary fixes for now.
Source: EA Answers (via SimsCommunity), The Sims/YouTube