Sims 4 age rating: is it kid friendly?

The ESRB rates The Sims 4 as T for Teen. It lists three content descriptors: Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, and Violence. The rating page also lists two interactive elements: Users Interact and In-Game Purchases.

Many parents ask if a life sim is safe for a child. A rating does not answer that question alone. This post shows the rating of five life sims, explains what the raters say is inside, and tells you what the ratings do not cover.

You read this on the LifeSim blog. We show the rating of LifeSim too, from our own Terms.

The ESRB summary is short. It says that players build and control characters, called Sims, through daily routines and personal goals.

• Romantic and sexual interactions have suggestive animations.
• Sims can vomit or urinate on themselves when the player neglects hygiene.
• Fights, electrocution, attacks by a carnivorous plant, and deaths in fires can occur.

The page that we opened is the listing for the Xbox Series version. ESRB lists other versions and packs on other pages. Open the page for the version that you buy.

Two rating systems appear in the table. The ESRB rates games in the United States and Canada. The App Store sets its own age rating for apps. The two numbers are not the same thing, so do not compare them one to one.

The App Store rates BitLife 18+. That is the highest age rating in this post. The listing says that mature or suggestive themes appear frequently.

The listing names these themes at a lower level: cartoon or fantasy violence, profanity or crude humor, alcohol, tobacco, and drug references, simulated gambling, and sexual content or nudity. It also says that the app contains advertising.

The description says that the game is a text-based life simulator with themes such as crime, prison, and drama. A child sees text, not 3D scenes. The rating still stands. Read the listing before you let a child install it.

For the prices and the paid parts, read is BitLife free?

The App Store sets the age rating of The Sims FreePlay at 13+. The EA page says ESRB T. Both are for teens.

The App Store lists these content items: cartoon or fantasy violence, profanity or crude humor, mature or suggestive themes, horror or fear themes, alcohol, tobacco, and drug references, and sexual content or nudity. The items are marked as infrequent.

The listing also says that the app contains loot boxes and advertising. The in-app purchases range from $0.99 to $19.99. A parent who worries about spending should look at the purchase settings on the phone. We did not test those settings.

Read is The Sims Mobile still playable? for the history of the Sims games on phones.

A rating describes the game that the raters saw. It does not describe four things.

• Other players. The ESRB lists Users Interact for The Sims 4. The rating does not control what other players do.
• Spending. In-Game Purchases and loot boxes show that the game sells things. The rating does not set a limit on spending.
• Packs. A pack can have its own ESRB listing. Check the listing of each pack that you buy.
• Your child. A teen rating is a guide for a teen. A younger child can react in a different way.

The best check is to play for one hour with the child. You then see the game as the child sees it.

LifeSim has no ESRB or App Store rating. Our Terms say that you must be at least 13 years old to use LifeSim. They also say that a person under 18 confirms permission from a parent or legal guardian. A person under 16 in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom must not sign up. Read the Terms for the full text.

In LifeSim, you talk to people in a real city, and they answer in their own words. A life can include hard events, because the people there react to what you do. Use the same advice as above. Play with the teen first.

LifeSim does not replace The Sims 4 for a young child. It has no build mode and no Create A Sim. It is free to start and runs in a browser. The Terms describe paid subscriptions and Lifebits, a virtual currency. Read them before a teen spends money.

A rating does not stop spending. The store pages list what each game sells.

• BitLife. The App Store lists Remove Ads at $2.99, a Time Machine use at $0.99, and expansion packs at $7.99 each. It lists God Mode at $9.99 and Boss Mode at $20.99.
• The Sims FreePlay. The App Store lists purchases of virtual currency from $0.99 to $19.99.
• The Sims 4. The base game is free on Steam. The EA store lists 21 expansion packs, 12 game packs, and 6 kits. A pack costs money. See is The Sims 4 free?

Prices change, so check the store before you buy. Use the purchase controls of the phone, the console, or the store account, if a child plays on your device. We did not test those controls.

What age is The Sims 4 for?

The ESRB rates it T for Teen. Check the ESRB page for the version and the pack that you buy.

Is The Sims 4 safe for a 10 year old?

The rating is for teens. The ESRB lists suggestive animations and violence. Decide with the facts above, and play with the child first.

What is the age rating of BitLife?

The App Store lists 18+.

What is the age rating of inZOI?

The Steam page lists ESRB T, for mild violence, mild suggestive themes, and comic mischief.

What is the age rating of Paralives?

We found no rating certificate. The studio says that it aims for a Teen rating.

• ESRB: The Sims 4 rating
• BitLife on the App Store
• The Sims FreePlay on the App Store
• EA: The Sims FreePlay
• inZOI on Steam
• Paralives: Frequently Asked Questions
• The Sims 4 on Steam