Dive Into InZOI Early Access: What’s New and How It Plays
A Long-Awaited Launch
Hey, folks! 🎮 InZOI, the hyper-realistic life sim that’s been turning heads, has finally hit early access on Steam! It launched on March 27, 2025, at 00:00 UTC — though some sources mentioned the 28th, Krafton’s official announcement confirmed the 27th. Priced at $39.99 globally (around R$149.90 in Brazil), you can now jump in and craft your own stories. Wanna feel the vibe? Check out the official trailer and get ready for a fresh experience!
I’ve rounded up everything Krafton shared since our last blog post to bring you the latest: what’s included, how it’s being received, and what’s coming next. Can InZOI take on the genre’s giants? Stick with me to find out!
What’s InZOI Early Access All About?
InZOI early access dropped on Steam on March 27, 2025, for $39.99 (R$149.90 in Brazil). It’s already packing a solid punch for life sim fans:
- Core Content: Initial areas to explore, the first part of the story, character creation (your Zois), and basic building tools for homes. Right now, it’s tagged as a single-player game, but Krafton’s working on adding co-op down the line.
- Creative Studio Transition: The free InZOI: Creative Studio demo, which racked up 500,000 downloads, shut down on March 27. If you made Zois or builds, you can transfer them to early access as long as you didn’t delete the files. Canvas items (Zois, outfits, properties, rooms, furniture) can also be downloaded, though builds might have overlap issues in Story Mode.
Krafton promised free updates throughout early access, so expect the game to grow a ton before its full release, slated for late 2025.
Smart Zoi: An Experimental Feature
One of the biggest highlights of early access is Smart Zoi, an experimental AI-based feature that gives Zois more autonomy and realistic interactions, packed with personality. To turn it on, just head to:
Game Options > Gameplay > Enable Smart Zoi > On
Heads up, though: Smart Zoi is still in development and comes with some quirks. It only accepts English prompts (via the Zoi Pen) and has known bugs:
- Schedules might not generate if a Zoi sleeps late.
- Diary entries and schedule editing are disabled at 5x speed or higher.
- Zoi thoughts vanish quickly during conversations.
- The game can slow down if 5+ sleepy Zois are on-screen after 11 PM.
Also, Smart Zoi demands a beefier PC than the base game. Krafton released a spec chart for it, ranging from minimum (i5-10400 or Ryzen 5 3600, 12 GB RAM, RTX 3060) to high (i7-14700K or Ryzen 7 9800X3D, 32 GB RAM, RTX 5070Ti or 4080 Super). Check the full details here:
They’re working on optimizing it and lowering the requirements, but for now, you’ll need a solid rig to run it smoothly. If you’re into the idea, give it a shot—but brace for those hiccups!
Can Your PC Handle InZOI?
To run InZOI on PC, Krafton shared the official requirements, and the game needs a decent setup due to its realistic visuals. Here’s the breakdown for the base game:
- Minimum (1080p, 30 FPS, low):
- OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
- CPU: Intel i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600
- RAM: 16 GB (dual-channel)
- GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1060 (6 GB) / AMD RX 580 (6 GB)
- Storage: 50 GB SSD
- Recommended (1440p, 60 FPS, high):
- OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
- CPU: Intel i7-9700K / AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
- RAM: 32 GB (dual-channel)
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 2070 (8 GB) / AMD RX 5700 XT (8 GB)
- Storage: 50 GB SSD
Krafton also dropped tips to tweak performance: for better FPS, lower the resolution, use DLSS/FSR/XeSS on Ultra Performance, disable ray tracing, and install on an SSD. For top visuals, crank up the resolution, use Ultra preset, and enable ray tracing with real mesh—but that’ll tax your PC more. If your PC can’t handle InZOI in high settings, check out the best gaming PCs and laptops on Amazon with my affiliate link:
How’s the Early Reception?
InZOI is sitting at 85% positive reviews on Steam, earning a “Very Positive” rating. Players are loving the hyper-realistic visuals and deep character customization, but it’s not all smooth sailing:
- Praise: Stunning graphics and detailed character creation are stealing the show.
- Criticism: Bugs are causing some headaches, like performance dips in crowded areas, and Smart Zoi has its limits (English-only prompts, schedule bugs, slowdowns). Krafton’s already rolled out patches to fix some issues, and they’re keeping a close eye on feedback for more improvements.
Overall, early access is getting a warm welcome, but there’s room to polish—pretty standard for this stage.
Controversies: Dodged a Bullet
There was a moment that could’ve sparked some drama, but Krafton handled it fast:
- Denuvo Dropped: Krafton initially used the Denuvo anti-tamper system in the Creative Studio demo to curb piracy, but it raised red flags in the community—Denuvo can hit performance and limit modding. After players voiced concerns, Krafton quickly pulled Denuvo from early access and apologized for the lack of heads-up. They admitted it was impacting the experience more than expected and chose to prioritize players, even if it risks piracy. To sweeten the deal, they’re doubling down on mod support (more on that soon!). In the end, what could’ve been a mess turned into a minor buzz on X, with most fans praising Krafton’s quick response.
What do you think of Krafton’s move?
What’s Next for InZOI?
Krafton shared a roadmap for InZOI during early access, and there’s plenty to look forward to:
- New Regions and Modes: More areas to explore and multiplayer modes are coming, including co-op (still in development), with an event in April 2025 to reveal more details.
- Building Upgrades: The basic building system will get more options and tools.
- Mod Support: Starting May 2025, official mod support kicks off with tools like Maya and Blender for custom content. Denuvo’s removal makes this even easier, and Krafton wants players to customize everything.
- Smart Zoi: The experimental feature will get optimizations, with lower requirements and fewer bugs.
- Full Release: The final version is set for late 2025, with all these additions and extra polish.
The team’s asking for feedback to shape the game, so the community will play a big role in InZOI’s evolution.
Let’s Chat!
So, have you tried InZOI in early access? Are you loving crafting your Zois, or did a bug get on your nerves? Drop a comment with your thoughts on the game, Smart Zoi, or what you’re hoping for next—let’s talk about this new life sim! 🎉
