The Sims 4: Growing Together - Midlife Crisis Guide

Quick Links

• What Is A Midlife Crisis In The Sims 4?

• Sims 4 Midlife Crisis Types

• What Happens After My Sim's Midlife Crisis?

• How To Make A Sim's Midlife Crisis End Faster

• How To Trigger Your Sim's Midlife Crisis

Sports cars, affairs, and bad haircuts, oh my! With the addition of the Growing Together expansion pack, even The Sims 4 can't be saved from the raging effects of a good old-fashioned midlife crisis.

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Has your Sim started acting strangely? Maybe they've been canoodling with a townie with whom they share a questionable age gap, or quit their job to go backpacking around Selvadorada. Whatever the case, we've got all the info you'll need to navigate through this stressful time.

What Is A Midlife Crisis In The Sims 4?

The Sims 4: Growing Together expansion pack brought a more dynamic gameplay experience when playing Sims of all ages. Now, Sim's personalities, preferences, and even family dynamics change based on how they interact with the world around them.

Along with these changes came midlife crises. In The Sims 4, a midlife crisis is a life event that happens to some, but not all, adult Sims, lasting for a maximum of seven in-game days. Your Sim will be plagued by a negative midlife crisis Moodlet for the duration of the event!

You might be playing a household when, suddenly, you receive an Early Midlife Crisis notification. This serves as a warning that your Sim will soon undergo a midlife crisis if you don't change something about their life.

But why do these events happen anyway? Well, a Sim might be more likely to experience a midlife crisis if they feel like something is missing in their life. Much like us humans, your Sim may experience a midlife crisis if they:

• Lack fulfilling relationships.
• Have not recently advanced in their career.
• Have a mundane daily life, such as a repetitive routine.
• Do not regularly engage in a creative hobby.

Sims 4 Midlife Crisis Types

Of course, a midlife crisis is a very personal thing. So it's no surprise that there are many ways that a midlife crisis can present itself in your Sim! There are actually four types of midlife crises that your Sim may experience in The Sims 4. Each type has a different cause, benefit, and set of optional desires.

Desire For Adventure

• Causes: Mundane lifestyle.
• Desires: Exploring new areas, going on vacation, extreme sports.
• Benefit: Slower Energy motive decay.

Desire For Success

• Cause: Financial struggle, unemployment, stagnant career.
• Desires: Career change, promotions, luxury purchases, learning skills.
• Benefit: Increased career performance.

Desire For Relationships

• Cause: Lack of fulfilling or meaningful relationships.
• Desires: Breaking up, starting new relationships, having children, socializing.
• Benefit: Extra relationship gain after positive social interactions.

Desire For Creativity

• Cause: Lack of creative pursuits.
• Desires: Taking up a new hobby, creating art, starting a more passionate career.
• Benefit: Crafted items made by your Sim will be higher in quality.

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What Happens After My Sim's Midlife Crisis?

Well, the answer to this question depends on what happened during your Sim's crisis. But for starters, once your Sim has survived their midlife crisis, they will never have another one. So, you've got that out of the way!

Relieved to be moving on from such a tumultuous time, your Sim will gain a Happy moodlet that lasts for two days. They may also develop a handful of new likes or dislikes based on their experience.

Other than that, the only lasting effects of your Sim's midlife crisis will result from the choices you made while they were in the thick of it (like your Sim divorcing their spouse, getting a new job, etc.).

How To Make A Sim's Midlife Crisis End Faster

Luckily, you can significantly shorten the length of a midlife crisis by fulfilling some of your Sim's midlife desires. You can view these desires, along with your progress,in the Aspirations panel. A midlife crisis sort of functions as a mini aspiration, prompting your Sim to complete certain tasks.

You can check how much longer your Sim's crisis will last by hovering over their midlife crisis Moodlet.

These tasks are related to the type of crisis your Sim is having. For example, if your Sim has a Desire for Relationships type of midlife crisis, your Sim's desires will be centered around changing their relationships.

Every time your Sim fulfills one of these desires, they will gain ten satisfaction points and grow closer to ending their midlife crisis. Some of these desires may directly conflict with how you'd like to see your Sim's life play out. Luckily, you aren't required to complete any of them. You'll just have to ride it out!

How To Trigger Your Sim's Midlife Crisis

While some dread playing through a midlife crisis, many enjoy being thrown a curveball. If you have a strict plan for your Sim's life, it could be frustrating for them to be thrown off track by unexpected desires. But a midlife crisis can be a fun and hilarious way to shake up your game.

If your Sim is in the adult life stage, a midlife crisis can potentially be triggered if they're forced to do things they dislike. Is your Sim lazy? Throw 'em on the treadmill! Keep at it until they're absolutely miserable; a midlife crisis is sure to be just around the bend.

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