The Sims 4 dev says they didn’t try to make student loans fun (2024)

There’s nothing quite like the dread of knowing your paycheck, and to some extension livelihood, belongs almost entirely to an ever-increasing debt that you may never settle over the course of your lifetime. Now imagine having to worry about that in a video game.

The Sims 4 recently saw the release of Discover University, a lively expansion where players can experience the fantasy of college life. There are things you would expect: schoolwork, partying, and dorms. But because The Sims attempts to simulate real life, the developers knew that they had to incorporate student loans, which unfortunately are often a pillar of the university experience.

Money management is a skill most new university students learn while going to school, so it’s a story and experience we wanted to give our players as a part of this pack,” said The Sims 4 producer Stephanie Tran over email. “We also wanted players who want to live at home or who were just starting out to be able to go to University, and loans make that possible.”

The question then became: How much pressure should student loans actually place on the player? In an early crack, student loans weren’t particularly burdensome, but the team realized that designing them that way wouldn’t make things challenging enough. So, Maxis decided to add a little spice by including Repo-man, a character who will appear if players take too long to pay back their student loans.

The Sims 4 dev says they didn’t try to make student loans fun (1) Maxis / Electronic Arts

“To add an element of fun to a situation that’d be quite stressful in real life, we let players try their luck by bribing the Repo-Person with a chance of success or failure,” Tran said. “Upon success, your loan payment requirements will be delayed for a while and nothing will get repossessed.”

Things have to get pretty dire before the Repo-man gets involved, though. Attending university requires paying tuition, which players can settle out of pocket if they have the funds. But if they don’t have the means, players can take out a loan with a very reasonable 5% interest — and it doesn’t have to be repaid while the sim is enrolled in school. Once out, regular payments have to occur, and if they don’t, collections start to happen. At that point, the player risks stressing out their sim. Before long, Repo-man appears and starts taking away household objects as a punishment.

If a sim happens to die, money is collected immediately ... unless the sim is too poor. Here, the game will do the player a solid by simply forgiving the remaining debt. But in turn, sims who survive will get a “poverty” moodlet marker, which will negatively affect the character’s disposition depending on their relationship to the dead sim.

Players can experience extreme debt if they want to role-play that crushing experience, but they have to actively push for it.

“The intention with debt wasn’t to make student loans feel punishing and inescapable,” Tran said. For the most part, student loans are way more manageable in The Sims 4 than they might be in real life.

“It never felt necessary to make loans ‘fun’ on their own but we wanted to include them in the challenge of the player balancing school, career, needs and skill management,” Tran continued. “It can sound very day-to-day but our hope is that the challenge this introduces into the game is fun and exciting for players.”

The Sims 4 dev says they didn’t try to make student loans fun (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you don't pay your student loans Sims 4? ›

But if they don't have the means, players can take out a loan with a very reasonable 5% interest — and it doesn't have to be repaid while the sim is enrolled in school. Once out, regular payments have to occur, and if they don't, collections start to happen. At that point, the player risks stressing out their sim.

Can you go to jail for not paying student loans? ›

The long-term commitment of student loan payments can be difficult for borrowers facing job loss or additional living expenses. While defaulting on your student loans can result in serious consequences, including a court summons, you won't go to jail for simply not paying.

How do you pay with student loans on Sims 4? ›

To pay off your student loans, you can click on the mailbox or the computer and choose to make a student loan payment. What is this? There will be a minimum payment that needs to be made based on how much you took out, but you're able to make a payment of any size.

What happens if you don't pay off student loans in 25 years? ›

Any outstanding balance on your loan will be forgiven if you haven't repaid your loan in full after 20 years or 25 years, depending on when you received your first loans. You may have to pay income tax on any amount that is forgiven.

What happens if you never pay your student loans? ›

If you don't make your student loan payment or you make your payment late, your loan may eventually go into default. If you default on your student loan, that status will be reported to national credit reporting agencies. This reporting may damage your credit rating and future borrowing ability.

Can you get rejected from college Sims 4? ›

Sims will never be outright rejected from university all together; they will always be accepted into the standard degrees regardless of high school grades or skills, but unskilled Sims with poor grades will most likely not be accepted into any distinguished degrees from either school.

What happens if Sims fail school? ›

Some career paths will be locked to them and they may not be able to go to university. However, it's not all bad news for high school dropouts! If your Sim would like a second chance to get that high school diploma, they can take online classes.

Can sims take out loans? ›

Sims can only have one active loan at a time. However, once your sim pays off the loan, you can click on the loan packet and select Destroy. Your sim can then take out another loan if desired.

Can you be in debt in the Sims? ›

Depending on how your sims go, you may only be able to clear a $20-$30k chunk before the debt is passed on. But, if you can get that small amount of debt paid off, splitting between three children makes it once again more manageable.

How do you pay off bills on sims 4? ›

The traditional way to pay one's bills in The Sims 4 is by selecting a Sim and having them check the building's mailbox for letters. If the bills are included in the mail, a notification will appear, revealing how many Simoleons are needed to keep the utilities running.

Do student loans go away after 7 years? ›

If the loan is paid in full, the default will remain on your credit report for seven years following the final payment date, but your report will reflect a zero balance. If you rehabilitate your loan, the default will be removed from your credit report. Q.

Do student loans go away after 10 years? ›

Created in 2007, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program allows certain federal student loan borrowers to have their debt forgiven after 10 years of working full-time for a qualifying employer.

How long can I ignore my student loans? ›

Private Student Loan Statute Of Limitations Timelines
StateStatute of Limitations
California4 years
Colorado6 years
Connecticut6 years
Deleware6 years
47 more rows
Jun 28, 2022

Why student loan debt will never be forgiven? ›

Your income is too high to qualify for student loan forgiveness. If federal student loan forgiveness is offered, it's likely to include an income cap, meaning high-income borrowers — even those with large amounts of debt relative to their income — probably won't qualify.

What happens if I haven't paid student loans in 10 years? ›

Your credit score will plummet.

Your servicer will add the missed payments for each of your loans to the three major credit bureaus, which will raise the interest rates you get for credit cards, auto loans, home loans, and the like.

Can student loans take your house? ›

Risk losing your home: Rolling your student debt into your mortgage can make your once unsecured loans secured. If you default on the loan because the payments are higher, you could lose your home since your house is the collateral for your mortgage.

Has anyone gone to jail for fafsa? ›

University Of Great Falls Student Sentenced To Six Month In Custody For FAFSA Fraud. GREAT FALLS – Former University of Great Falls student, Brenden James Leischner, 24, now of Indio, California, was sentenced to six months in federal custody for Federal Student Financial Aid Fraud, by U.S. District Judge Brian Morris.

Can student loans be bankrupted? ›

You may have your federal student loan discharged in bankruptcy only if you file a separate action, known as an "adversary proceeding," requesting the bankruptcy court find that repayment would impose undue hardship on you and your dependents.

Can you sue over student loans? ›

To pursue a lender for collection harassment related to your private student loans or federal student loans, you can either file a complaint with the CFPB or you can file a private lawsuit in state or federal court.

Can Sims get drunk? ›

Sims can get dazed (which is the equivalent to drunk) by too much drinks and coffee.

Can you get fired in The Sims 4? ›

Conversation. Have you ever gotten your sim fired in The Sims 4? You have to have very poor performance for this to occur. An example would be skipping days continuously.

Can university students get pregnant Sims 4? ›

Your Sims can get pregnant while at University. If you are living in University Housing, you will be encouraged to move somewhere that you can better care for your child.

Can Sims get pregnant accidentally? ›

Regular WooHoo never results in pregnancy, and Sims who are hoping to start a family in this way need to use the 'Try for Baby' option instead.

Can Sims quit high school? ›

Players can have their Sims drop out in a couple of ways. The easiest is to use a computer under the high school options and select "Drop Out of High School." A pop-up will confirm this decision, and then the Sim will no longer be enrolled in high school, effective immediately.

Can Sims get kicked out of school? ›

You don't need to have poor grades or low skills (but you can be forcibly kicked out of school if you're failing and acting out).

Can sims get abortions in Sims 4? ›

To have an abortion in The Sims 4, players must pay an amount of the game's fictional currency (1,000 Simoleons). They cannot perform the procedure beyond the second trimester of the pregnancy. The character will feel guilty “in most circ*mstances”, notes Axios.

Can sims go to jail? ›

Sims who are in the Criminal career track in The Sims 3 run the risk of being sent to jail every time they go to work. If a criminal is sent to jail, they cannot be promoted on that day and job performance may suffer.

Can I get rid of my sims pregnancy? ›

Re: how do i end my sims pregnancy

Best thing to do is have the baby and then either neglect it until the social worker takes it away or delete it through the household manager.

Can you make Sims homeless? ›

If you use MC to add sims to the Service Pool (the command is Set Service), they will instantly become homeless. Service Sims can never be residents.

How long do Sims go to jail for? ›

This section describes features that are only available in The Sims Bustin' Out and The Urbz: Sims in the City. In The Sims Bustin' Out, the Sim will be sent to jail when arrested and the player will have to wait 8 hours. The player can get out of jail by paying a §100 fine.

Are there homeless Sims? ›

The Sims 4 homeless challenge is not only difficult, but it offers a wide range of storyline options that can be very fun to play around with. Answering questions such as “why is my Sim homeless in the first place?” can be a very nice way to build backstory and personality.

How do you zero out Sims money? ›

Simply type "Money x", where x is the desired amount of money the player wants to have. This can be used to increase, decrease, or outright omit the amount of money players have, which can prove to be a rather challenging scenario indeed.

What happens if you don't pay your bills in Sims 4? ›

In The Sims 4, if a bill isn't paid within 48 hours, electricity will be cut off until the bills are paid, meaning that all electrical appliances, electronics and lamps will cease to function. If the bills remain unpaid for another 48 hours after that, the household water supply will also be cut.

What's the maximum student loan amount? ›

$57,500 for undergraduates-No more than $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. $138,500 for graduate or professional students-No more than $65,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. The graduate aggregate limit includes all federal loans received for undergraduate study.

Who gets student loan forgiveness? ›

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program forgives the remaining balance on your federal student loans after 120 payments working full time for federal, state, Tribal, or local government; the military; or a qualifying non-profit. Learn more about PSLF and apply.

What are the 5 C's of credit? ›

The five Cs of credit are important because lenders use these factors to determine whether to approve you for a financial product. Lenders also use these five Cs—character, capacity, capital, collateral, and conditions—to set your loan rates and loan terms.

Will student loans be Cancelled after 20 years? ›

Yes, federal student loans may be forgiven after 20 years under certain circ*mstances. But only certain types of loans are eligible for forgiveness, and you must be enrolled in one of a few different types of repayment plans. You'll also need to stay out of default on your loans.

Are student loans 10 or 20 years? ›

The Standard Repayment Plan is the basic repayment plan for loans from the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program and Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. Payments are fixed and made for up to 10 years (between 10 and 30 years for consolidation loans).

Do student loans expire after 15 years? ›

Whether you've been in student loan default for one year or 20 years, the loan holder could legally use the court system to compel you to pay if it desires to do so. Private student loans, on the other hand, have a statute of limitations of anywhere from three to 10 years. After this, they become time-barred.

Do student loans affect credit score? ›

How student loans affect your credit score. Student loans are a type of installment loan, similar to a car loan, personal loan, or mortgage. They are part of your credit report, and can impact your payment history, length of your credit history, and credit mix. If you pay on time, you can help your score.

Can closed student loans be removed? ›

If your school closes while you're enrolled or soon after you withdraw, you may be eligible for discharge of your federal student loan. Loan discharge is the removal of your obligation to repay your loan under certain circ*mstances.

Why student loan forgiveness is ok? ›

Student loan debt is slowing the national economy. Forgiveness would boost the economy, benefiting everyone. Student loan debt slows new business growth and quashes consumer spending.

What type of student loans won't be forgiven? ›

Unlike federal student loans, private student loans are not eligible for student loan forgiveness. People who refinanced student loans to a private loan servicer are also ineligible for forgiveness. Under the PSLF program, only people who work for the US government and non-profit organizations qualify for forgiveness.

Does Biden loan forgiveness apply to future loans? ›

Up to $10,000 would be canceled for qualifying borrowers and another $10,000 of forgiveness would go to those who also received a Pell grant while enrolled in college. But future federal student loan borrowers would receive nothing from the forgiveness program.

Are student loans wiped after 25 years? ›

Any outstanding balance on your loan will be forgiven if you haven't repaid your loan in full after 20 years (if all loans were taken out for undergraduate study) or 25 years (if any loans were taken out for graduate or professional study).

What happens if I pay my student loans for 25 years? ›

The maximum repayment period is 25 years. After 25 years, any remaining debt will be discharged (forgiven). Under current law, the amount of debt discharged is treated as taxable income, so you will have to pay income taxes 25 years from now on the amount discharged that year.

What happens if nobody pays student loans? ›

If you don't make your student loan payment or you make your payment late, your loan may eventually go into default. If you default on your student loan, that status will be reported to national credit reporting agencies. This reporting may damage your credit rating and future borrowing ability.

Are student loans forgiven upon death? ›

What happens to my loans if I die? If you die, then your federal student loans will be discharged after the required proof of death is submitted.

Are student loans forgiven if parent dies? ›

If you have federal government loans, yes. This means that your estate will not have to pay back those student loans. Survivors can apply for a death discharge to cancel a borrower's federal student loans. Parent PLUS loans may be discharged if the student for whom the parent received the loan dies.

Are private student loans forgiven at death? ›

For the most part, private lenders will cancel the debt if the borrower dies. Some lenders, however, may make that decision on a case-by-case basis. Regardless of the outcome, the lender may require a death certificate or something similar to complete the request.

What happens if I don't pay my bills in Sims 4? ›

In The Sims 4, if a bill isn't paid within 48 hours, electricity will be cut off until the bills are paid, meaning that all electrical appliances, electronics and lamps will cease to function. If the bills remain unpaid for another 48 hours after that, the household water supply will also be cut.

Do I have to repay for Sims 4? ›

The base game is completely free-to-play

Although the expansion packs and DLCs will still cost money, you can download the base game for free and start playing today.

What happens if you never go to school in Sims 4? ›

School starts at 8:00 am and ends at 3:00 pm, and if the Sim doesn't show up for school as expected, at around 9:00 am, their principal will call the Sim who is missing school and inform them that if they keep missing school, their grades will suffer.

How long are sims in jail for Sims 4? ›

After a Sim is arrested, they are lifted by the cop up into the air by helicopter. The Sim is meant to stay incarcerated for about a day. Although, the security of the prison seems to be abysmal, as anyone willing to break out can do so easily. The location of the jail is unknown.

How do you pay unpaid bills on sims? ›

The traditional way to pay one's bills in The Sims 4 is by selecting a Sim and having them check the building's mailbox for letters. If the bills are included in the mail, a notification will appear, revealing how many Simoleons are needed to keep the utilities running.

Does Bess ever pay you back Sims 4? ›

She'll continue to call and ask for more Simoleons and the player can stop giving it to her at any time, at which point she'll apologize and repay the Simoleons given to her. If the player continues to give Simoleons, at least sometimes her business will flourish and she pays them half of the earnings, §25,000.

What happens if you get an F in Sims 4? ›

Once you child has had an F for a couple days it will be taken away. If you make sure they do their homework every other day they will retain the D they start out with.

Can you take away sims money? ›

Type in "testingcheats true" without the quotation marks, following which you can use the "Money" cheat to get rid of some cash. Simply type "Money x", where x is the desired amount of money the player wants to have.

Can Sims get pregnant in high school years? ›

However, since Teens can't access the 'Try for Baby' interaction, their pregnancy options are passive until they age up to Young Adulthood; while in practice Elders can't get pregnant even if they possess the 'Become Pregnant' ability.

Can Sims get pregnant in high school Sims 4? ›

Teenage pregnancies aren't possible in The Sims 4 by default. Sims have seven stages of life, from Babies to the Elderly. In the official version of the game, only Young Adults (who are implied to be in their early 20s) and Adults can get pregnant.

Can sims get abortions in sims 4? ›

To have an abortion in The Sims 4, players must pay an amount of the game's fictional currency (1,000 Simoleons). They cannot perform the procedure beyond the second trimester of the pregnancy. The character will feel guilty “in most circ*mstances”, notes Axios.

Can sims be alcoholic? ›

Drinking too much Kombucha results in the sim getting dazed. Sims can purchase a home bar and can learn the mixology skill. Though the bottles are not specifically detailed, it can be assumed that they are alcoholic. Sims can get dazed (which is the equivalent to drunk) by too much drinks and coffee.

Can you be homeless in the Sims? ›

To sum it up, the Sims 4 homeless challenge might be one of the most difficult challenges in Sims 4. But despite that, it is one of the most fun challenges. We really just love being put outside of our comfort zone when it comes to gameplay.

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