The Sims competitor Inzoi is being delayed until next year because 'it is said that among primates, raising a human child to adulthood takes the longest time'

Inzoi, another in a line of seemingly-cursed Sims competitors that are experiencing delays, is—you guessed it—delayed until March 28, 2025. I'm halfway convinced EA has put a hex over anyone who makes The Sims-style games. Including its own developers, if its wobbly house of DLC cards is anything to go by.

Life By You went the way of the dodo, and while Inzoi is looking prettier by half and ram-packed with cool features, it's taking some more time in the oven. I want to make clear that the following statement is likely translated from Korean, given the developer's background, and so the wording I'm poking fun at here could simply be the result of a language barrier. However, it is the only game delay announcement to include the phrase "it is said that among primates", and I feel like I've an obligation to point that out.

Hyungjun "Kjun" Kim, the game's director, writes to its Discord—initially thanking players for indulging in the game's demo at Gamescom: "Seeing such engagement brought us so much happiness, and it was inspiring to see how deeply people connected with Inzoi. Your response and feedback made us realise the responsibility we have to provide players with the most complete experience possible. This message is about that realisation."

Kim continues, "After reviewing your feedback from Inzoi: Character Studio and analysing a wealth of data from our various play tests, we have made our decision to release Inzoi in Early Access on March 28, 2025. We apologise that we could not bring you the game sooner, but this decision reflects our commitment to giving Inzoi the best possible start."

Then comes an absolutely leftfield metaphor that sees Kim waxing lyrical about the rigours of parenthood:

"It is said that among primates, raising a human child to adulthood takes the longest time because humans must be prepared to endure and adapt to their ever-changing surroundings. The extra love and care that is required to properly nurture a child is how I see our journey with Inzoi—a game that we will be nurturing together from its Early Access birth. This change in our release date represents our dedication to giving Inzoi a stronger foundation, so we can embark on this journey together in the best way possible."

While I never want to hear the words "Early Access birth" again, that all seems fair enough to me. Feedback is always a tricky thing, and it's eminently reasonable to see new problems you hadn't before when a horde of Gamescom attendees puts your game through its paces.

"Until the release date, we’ll continue to improve areas that need attention, striving to create a game that truly captures the essence of life simulation," Kim adds. "Our goal is to deliver an experience fans can enjoy for years to come. We’ll keep you updated on our development progress, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this journey towards Inzoi Early Access and beyond. Thank you."