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When you switch households in The Sims 3, the family you leave is no longer under your direct control and may continue changing as part of the town. EA’s PC manuals say those Sims can gain skills or relationships, get fired or promoted, and change in other ways. You can switch back, but the household may not be exactly as you left it.
How to switch households in The Sims 3
In the EA PC manuals, the documented route is:
- Open the Options menu.
- Choose Edit Town.
- Click Change Active Household.
- Select the household you want to play.
The game returns you to the choices for creating Sims, playing an existing household in town, or moving in a household. This path is documented for PC; the manuals cited here do not establish that the same menu sequence applies to every console or edition.
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The Sims 3: Pets Expansion Pack | $8.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Sims 3 Seasons | $32.26 | Buy on Amazon |
What happens to the household you leave?
EA describes the former active household as being left to change along with the rest of the town. Its Sims may gain skills or relationships, get fired or promoted, or experience other changes. Switching households therefore hands day-to-day control back to the simulation rather than guaranteeing that the family is frozen.
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- New Seamless, Open Neighborhood—Explore the neighborhood freely
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- The freedom of The Sims 3 will inspire you with endless possibilities and amuse you with unexpected moments of surprise and mischief
Does the inactive household keep aging?
EA’s general PC manual says Sims move through life stages unless aging is turned off in Options. If aging during your time away matters to your playthrough, check that setting before switching. The manual does not specify a separate aging timetable for inactive households.
What happens to wishes and opportunities?
Whether wishes or opportunities persist, reset, or disappear after switching is not established by the EA manual passages cited here. An EA forum discussion raises the concern, but that does not confirm a universal outcome. Avoid relying on a specific rule without confirmation for your platform and version.
Rank #2
- Be it by paddleboat or speedboat, your Sims can now leave port to discover new lands and explore like never before, from inter-island travel to discovering their own uncharted island
- Create a family-friendly resort of waterslides and buffet tables, a romantic retreat dotted with minimalist cottages, or a singles resort featuring multiple pool bars where Sims can mingle and flirt. Choose and fine-tune your amenities, set your price
- See what surprises await under the sea as your Sims build their skills in snorkeling/scuba diving. Your Sims may find them on the shore of a new island or discover sunken or buried treasure
- New stilted foundations give your Sims the best of both worlds, a home that's partially on the water and partially on land. Build a resort, create travelling houseboats, and customize your very own island paradise for your Sims
- Requires The Sims 3 to play
Is switching households worth it?
It depends on whether you value controlling one family closely or seeing several households develop. The manuals document possible autonomous changes and the aging setting; the trade-off below is a practical way to choose between those play styles.
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| Play approach | Day-to-day control | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Rotate among households | You control whichever household is active. | Be comfortable with the families you leave potentially gaining skills or relationships, changing careers, and otherwise changing. Consider whether aging is enabled. |
| Stay with one household | You keep making that household’s decisions directly. | Choose this when close control over its development matters more than following multiple families. |
For switching instructions and the possibility of changes to the household you leave, see EA’s The Sims 3 manual information. The aging guidance is also described in EA’s PC manual documentation.
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- Assemble your company of customized soldiers, weapons, and vehicles - then take them on an epic journey through the tides of War.
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- Be the pet - Wield control of your pets to chase, dig, tackle, and more
- Determine the personalities of your Sims' pets, from intelligent, friendly, and proud to playful, adventurous, and aggressive
- Pets can learn skills - Cats and dogs can learn to hunt, dogs can learn to locate collectibles and fetch your Sims a date
- Sims can take their pets outside - Take Spike to the park, bring Whiskers to the library, or ride Star to the new Equestrian Center
- Requires The Sims 3 to install & play
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- Play as supernatural Sims: Create witches, wizards, werewolves, more intriguing vampires, and fairies, each with their own magical abilities, traits, and interactions.
- Explore the town of Moonlight Falls: Discover what mysteries and abilities are revealed by the light of the full moon. Will your Sims freak out or become more powerful?
- Hone your magical crafts and share the enchantment: Learn to cast spells and find rare ingredients to brew elixirs, so you can charm or hex your Sims’ lives.
- Discover supernatural items: Race around the arena on your broomstick, visit the gypsy caravan, or preen in front of your magic mirror.
- Zombification: Mix a special elixir to create shuffling, brain-hungry monsters of your very own. Chomp on other Sims to spread the love and wreak havoc. Don’t fret, you can always concoct an elixir to change your Sims back
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