With the launch of the Enchanted by Nature expansion pack today,The Sims 4community should be basking in the glow of magical forests, whimsical builds, and new green-thumbed adventures. But instead of celebrating, many players are scrambling to troubleshoot one of the most frustrating bugs to hitThe Sims 4in months: broken pregnancy mechanics. What should have been a smooth release day has once again been overshadowed by a familiar story for longtime Simmers: a major DLC launch plagued by technical issues that directly impact the game’s core functionality. While the magical additions of Enchanted by Nature are welcome, they’ve landed in a game that’s momentarily broken in some of its most crucial places.
Life-simmers knew thatJuly 10 might be rocky forThe Sims 4fans, especially after the July 1 patch introduced a series of disruptive bugs. But few expected pregnancy, a foundational system tied to legacy challenges, family gameplay, and generational storytelling, to be hit this catastrophically.
The Sims 4’s Pregnancy Glitch Explained
In the July 1 base game update, Maxis unintentionally introduced a widespread bug that has disruptedThe Sims 4’s pregnancy mechanicsfor a large portion of the player base. Though the patch was meant to lay the groundwork for Enchanted by Nature, it also introduced several regressions that now prevent many Sims from getting pregnant at all. Players are reporting variations of the same core issues:
Currently, the only reliable method to carry a baby in-game is to use the Try for Science Baby interaction on a computer or phone. While helpful for some, it bypasses the immersive experience that pregnancy-based gameplay typically offers. And for those working through family-oriented goals or challenge runs, such as the100 Baby Challenge forThe Sims 4, this bug is especially disruptive. Community members have already taken to social platforms to warn others not to update the game until a fix is confirmed.
The Latest Patch Didn’t Just Break Pregnancy
Unfortunately, pregnancy isn’t the only mechanic acting up in the wake of the latest patch. Players are also reporting a slew of glitches that affect both quality of life and day-to-day immersion in the game. Among the most common issues:
This combination of bugs makes it difficult for players to engage in both normal progression and more specialized content, especially frustrating when a highly anticipated DLC that features moreoccult gameplay options inThe Sims 4has just been released.
A Buggy Tale As Old As Time for The Sims 4
On July 7,Simsdevs acknowledged the broken pregnancy system, stating that they are “actively investigating issues related to Sim pregnancy.” While this offers some relief to players holding out for a hotfix, it also reinforces a long-standing frustration in theSimscommunity: major content releases are often accompanied by major technical issues. Historically,The Sims 4has seen foundational systems, from relationships and aspirations to autonomy and save files, have broken immediately before or after a major expansion. And while many of these problems are eventually resolved, players are growing weary of the recurring cycle: update, bug, panic, fix, repeat.
Some of this tension is likely structural.The Sims 4’s core engine is over a decade old, and each new expansion pack piles more complexity onto an aging framework. This contrasts significantly with more modern competitors likeInZOIand the upcomingParaliveswhose bugs aren’t as cyclical. But no matter the cause, the result is the same: frustration and disappointment during moments that should be celebratory.
Will a Fix For The Pregnancy Glitch Arrive Soon?
The patch was released July 1. Enchanted by Nature is released today. Yet, it’s not yet clear when the pregnancy bug, or the many others reported, will be fully addressed. Some players are already rolling back their game versions or disabling auto-updates to preserve stable games. Others are relying on mod creators and community tools to patch over problems in the meantime. Maxis and EA have a track record of issuing fixes relatively quickly when issues impact core gameplay; however, the new DLC launch has made some fans nervous about even booting up the game at all. WithEnchanted by Nature’s new featuresstill fresh in the spotlight, it’s critical that a patch or workaround arrive sooner rather than later, or risk further damaging goodwill in an already patchwork ecosystem.
A History Haunted By Similar Issues
The Sims 4remains one of the most expansive and creative life simulation experiences available, but it continues to be haunted by a reputation for instability. For a game that thrives on storytelling, family legacies, and player-driven worlds, bugs that disrupt basic mechanics like pregnancy, work, or customization hit harder than surface-level hiccups. Of course, these aren’t theworst bugs to hitThe Sims 4, but they certainly rank highly.
Thearrival of Enchanted by Natureshould have been a huge win for both Maxis and its players. Instead, it may become a case study in how legacy infrastructure and updates can derail an otherwise exciting moment. Until a fix arrives, players may find themselves trading baby name lists for bug reports: a routine thatThe Sims 4knows all too well.
The Sims 4
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