Since the early 2000s, The Sims has been a series that allows players to create families and live out life however they choose, but it also puts a lot of focus on the many ways that Sims can die, as well. The Sims 4 is the most recent addition to EA's incredibly popular life-simulation franchise, with even more ways for players' sims to land themselves in potentially fatal situations.
There are the classic and well-known deaths that have been a part of The Sims since the very beginning, such as fire and drowning, with the former being especially easy to trigger. As more titles are released, wackier ways to die are included as well, and there's a large portion of the player base that takes the enjoyment out of discovering all the weirdest possible ways to cause a Sim to meet their maker.
10 Vending Machine (Snowy Escape)
Death by vending machine was introduced to The Sims as a whole in the University Life expansion for The Sims 3. However, it wasn't until the Snowy Escape expansion that this method was brought to The Sims 4, and it works a little differently.
When a Sim shakes a vending machine in an attempt to retrieve a stuck item, they may be crushed, causing them to receive the "Bruised and Battered" moodlet. If they're crushed by another vending machine before waiting until this moodlet goes away, they will be permanently killed.
9 The Murphy Bed Method (Tiny Living Stuff)
The Murphy Bed method appears in expansions for both The Sims 2, and The Sims 3, and was finally brought to The Sims 4 with the addition of Tiny Living Stuff. Murphy Beds in The Sims 4 don't always open properly, and, if they don't, the player will attempt to manually open the bed.
This can cause the player to be crushed underneath the bed, killing them instantly. In previous titles, there was no way to fully prevent this accidental death from happening, but in The Sims 4, players can upgrade their Murphy Beds using Reinforced Spring Wiring if they want to remove any chance of dying this way.
8 Wishing Well Gone Wrong (Romantic Garden Stuff)
In The Sims 2: Seasons, players had a twenty-five percent chance to die while wishing specifically for money at the Wishing Well. The Well returns to The Sims 4 in the Romantic Garden Stuff pack, but using it to cause a Sim's death plays out differently.
The Wishing Well in The Sims 4 has four distinct moods, displayed on the face at the top of the Well. If the face is hooded, this grants the highest chance of possible death – and if the player wishes for Youthful Vigor while the hooded face is displayed, they're almost guaranteed to turn into a ghost.
7 Scared To Death By Urban Legends (High School Years)
The High School Years expansion for The Sims 4 introduces two entirely new ways to die, one of which is the Urban Myth death. Based on the Bloody Mary folktales, players can spook themselves and their friends by chanting into a portable mirror, but there can be deadly consequences for doing so.
Sims with a Mischief Skill of 8 or higher who use the mirror one time will successfully scare another Sim. If they use the Summon Urban Myth skill again, they'll scare themselves – and if a Sim tries to do this again, while they're still scared, it will result in their immediate death.
6 Death By Stink Bomb (High School Years)
Messing around with urban legends isn't the only new way to cause death in High School Years. It's also possible to kill a Sim if they attempt to pull a Stink Bomb prank, and it misfires.
Players can take on the role of bully and plant Stink Bombs in other Sims' lockers, but there's a chance for this prank to fail, inflicting the Stink status on themselves instead. If a sim tries and fails to plant another Stink Bomb while this status effect is still in play, they'll die from the stench.
5 Low-Quality Puffer Fish (City Living)
City Living introduces a brand-new way for Sims to die, which involves eating low-quality Puffer Fish. Whenever a Sim eats a Pufferfish Nigiri, there is a chance for them to become poisoned and choke to death. The chance of triggering this death increases the lower the quality of the actual dish is, and excellent quality Pufferfish poses no risk of dying.
Interestingly enough, if a Sim is killed in this way, their ghost will have a pufferfish swimming around in their chest. The only way to consume a pufferfish that's less than excellent quality – and ensure that one's Sim won't die because of it – is if they're a Vampire.
4 Chickens And Rabbits Can Turn Violent (Cottage Living)
Cottage Living grants players the ability to raise animals of their own, such as chickens and rabbits. Of course, it wouldn't be The Sims if this addition didn't also come with a brand-new way for Sims to die while tending to their animals.
Sims that have a low relationship with either rabbits or chickens have a chance of getting attacked by them, which will inflict the Sim with the Dazed moodlet. If they're attacked again before this Moodlet goes away, the chicken or rabbit will kill the Sim outright.
3 The Beetle Juice Death References The Famous Movie (Eco Lifestyle)
The Beetle Juice method of death, added in the Eco Lifestyle expansion, is a reference to the incredibly popular 1988 Tim Burton film, Beetlejuice. Before players can craft the beverage necessary to bring about this death, they'll have to reach Level 10 in their Mixology skill.
After doing so, players can craft Beetle Juice out of beetle nuggets. If Sims drink Beetle Juice just once or twice, nothing will happen. Upon consuming three drinks in a row, though, they'll immediately turn into a ghost with no chance of the Grim Reaper coming for them.
2 The Hidden Night Wraith Death (Realm Of Magic)
The Curse of the Night Wraith is one of the multiple curses added to The Sims 4 with the Realm Of Magic expansion. This curse can be given to Sims randomly while messing around with spell casting, but players who don't want to wait can also forcefully enact this curse via cheats.
While under the effects of this curse, a Night Wraith will follow around the afflicted Sim, draining their energy and rendering them unable to sleep. While this curse doesn't kill Sims outright, it does drain Sims' Needs incredibly fast, making it easier to accidentally kill them from other causes.
1 Keep The Cow Plant Fed, Or Else (Base Game)
The Cow Plant method of death was first introduced in The Sims 2: University, and is the only weird death to be included in The Sims 4's base game. Players have to be incredibly vigilant when it comes to keeping their Cow Plant fed, or else the consequences can be deadly.
If a Cow Plant goes too long without food, it will hold a slice of cake out of its mouth to tempt Sims. The first time a Sim is swallowed, they'll be spat out and given a debuff. If they're eaten again before this debuff goes away, the Cow Plant will kill them. In an especially dark twist, another Sim is able to then milk the cow plant, adding extra days onto their own life if they consume the milk.