inZOI Bans Running Over Children Post-Bug Fix

The developers of inZOI have addressed a disturbing bug that allowed players to run over children, which has now been fixed in their latest patch. This article delves into the details of this shocking feature and shares insights from the inZOI Director on their commitment to a realistic style.

inZOI Early Access Fixes Shocking Bug

As inZOI continues its Early Access phase, players have discovered a distressing feature that permitted running over children with vehicles. A post on inZOI's subreddit on March 28 titled "I don't think that Krafton realizes that you can run over children in inZOI" showcased footage of a player running over a child, causing the child to be flung a significant distance and ultimately resulting in the child's death.

While inZOI developers had previously discussed various ways to kill off Zois during the inZOI Online Showcase, including vehicular accidents, they did not mention that this would extend to children. On March 28, a Krafton spokesperson addressed Eurogamer, clarifying that this was an unintended bug and has been resolved in the latest patch.

The statement from Krafton reads, "These depictions are highly inappropriate and do not reflect the intent and values of inZOI. We understand the seriousness of this matter and the importance of age-appropriate content. We are strengthening our internal review processes to prevent similar incidents in the future." Removing this bug is crucial, as inZOI holds an ESRB rating of T for Teen, and retaining such a feature could potentially lead to a stricter age rating.

inZOI Director Admits Realistic Style Makes It Hard For Goofing Around In-Game

inZOI enjoys a "Very Positive" review rating on Steam, with many praising its detailed and high-quality graphics. However, inZOI’s Game Director Hyungjun ‘Kjun’ Kim shared with PCGamesN on March 31 that their hyper-realistic approach presents certain challenges.

Kjun explained, "This was something we thought about a lot. With such realistic graphics, we constantly questioned how far we should take that realism. At times, we wanted to incorporate comical or lighthearted elements, but they didn’t quite fit with the grounded visuals, which was a bit disappointing sometimes."

Kjun has expressed admiration for The Sims 4, citing its charming goofiness as a defining feature. However, with inZOI's realistic style, developers found it challenging to integrate similar playful elements. Despite this, Kjun remains confident in their approach, stating, "We believe this level of immersive graphics will resonate with players and, throughout development, we’ve felt both proud and excited to bring this world to life."

While inZOI surpasses The Sims 4 in terms of detail and quality, the developers continue to refine the game's identity to establish it as a formidable competitor in the life-simulation genre. For more insights into inZOI’s Early Access release, be sure to read our comprehensive article below!