inZOI has seen strong early success, with SteamDB estimating nearly 1 million owners on Steam. That’s a remarkable start for a title positioned as a much-needed challenger to The Sims, which has dominated the life sim genre for decades. While still in Early Access, the game is slated to launch on PS5 next year, with an Xbox version currently “under consideration,” according to the official blog post.
inZOI, Krafton’s Unreal Engine 5 Sims Competitor
Krafton, best known for PUBG: Battlegrounds, also made headlines when it acquired Tango Gameworks after the studio parted ways with Xbox. inZOI is positioned as a more modern take on The Sims, built in Unreal Engine 5 with a focus on high-end visuals and realism.
An Xbox release is also under consideration, but has not yet been confirmed.
– inZOI blog post
The game features AI-driven systems, including generative tools like text-to-texture and image-to-3D, letting players create textures from written prompts or turn real-world objects into 3D models. It also boasts deep customization for characters, builders, and environments, delivering features long requested by Sims fans.
inZOI launched in Early Access on Steam in November 2024 and was recently confirmed for a PS5 release.
Early Access Praise Hits Growing Pains
The game was widely praised at launch, with players accepting its Early Access state, with the expectation that updates would address missing features and polish the experience. However, the core gameplay loop was said to be shallow, lacking life sim staples like deeper social interactions. The game also made headlines for allowing players to drive vehicles and even run over NPCs, including children – a feature that has since been removed.
At first inZOI held a “Mostly Positive” rating on Steam, showing strong fan support. But more recent reviews have turned mixed, raising the question: what went wrong?
Free Island DLC Sparks Debate in Early Access
Despite still being in Early Access, the developers have announced a free DLC, inZOI: Island Getaway. It introduces Cahaya, an island resort, and is set to release on August 20, 2025. While the team has stated that the DLC won’t cost players anything, that hasn’t stopped some fans from voicing their concerns in Steam reviews. Many worry that creating new content is taking time away from fixing issues and adding “core features” still missing from the base game.
I tend to agree, even if the island resort sounds appealing and free of charge, an Early Access game should focus on building a solid foundation before expanding with DLC. For those interested, a livestream showcasing the DLC is planned for August 15, 2025, at 1:00 a.m. UTC, and a trailer has already been released.
Xbox Players Face an Uncertain Wait for inZOI
Whilst the PS5 version has been confirmed and announced, the Xbox release remains only “under consideration.” A statement received from the developers, we were told “An Xbox release is also under consideration, but has not yet been confirmed.” Which echoes what fans were told in the blog post announcing the PS5 release.
With mixed Steam reviews and the game still in Early Access, Xbox players might not mind waiting for a more polished release. Still, it’s another reminder that developers are willing to skip Xbox. If demand isn’t strong enough, an Xbox version may never happen, and regardless of the game’s current reception, it’s always disappointing to see the platform left out.
#PS5 #SimsLike #Game #Xbox #Fans #Ghosted
