EA Temporarily Removes Sims 4 Rental-Unit Cheat After Widespread Save Corruption Issues
EA says it has identified two strong leads into The Sims 4 save corruption and is rolling out a temporary measure while it works on broader fixes. The publisher found issues with disappearing scratch files and lot-specific data problems, and it will temporarily remove a rental-unit cheat as a preventative step.
- What EA found
- Temporary removal of the Residential Rental Unit cheat
- Tools and ongoing investigation
- Next steps and where EA is sharing updates
What EA found
After testing for several weeks with and without mods, EA reported two main leads into the save-file corruption issue. First, *scratch files* — temporary files the game uses — appear to be disappearing somehow, and that can corrupt an entire save. Second, EA found an issue tied to lot-specific data that can trap players in an endless loading screen.
Moreover, EA noted that this loading problem may be linked to certain build behaviors, such as super-stuffed Lots, with and without mods. The publisher also said many affected players experience issues even when they haven’t used the rental-unit cheat, so the investigation is broader than that one feature.
Temporary removal of the Residential Rental Unit cheat
To reduce risk while fixes are developed, EA will remove the Residential Rental Unit cheat, bb.increaserentalunitcap, in an upcoming update. In EA’s words: “We’re removing the Residential Rental Unit cheat, bb.increaserentalunitcap, in an upcoming update, as a preventative step while broader fixes are developed.”
EA added, “While we take player agency seriously, out of an abundance of caution, this step is needed to mitigate its potential risk.” Therefore, players who relied on that cheat will temporarily lose that option until the broader issues are resolved.
Tools and ongoing investigation
EA also created a new Python-based tool to help analyze player save files. This tool helps the team extract, analyze, and summarize data from saves that players provide. In addition, EA continues to analyze save data to find causes related to save bloat and corruption.
For more on EA’s findings so far, see this blog post.
— The Sims Direct Communications (@TheSimsDirect) October 1, 2025
Next steps and where EA is sharing updates
EA says it will keep searching for solutions and will continue to be transparent about progress. As the company put it, “We’ve committed to transparency, and while we don’t have all the answers yet, progress is being made every day.”
So, meanwhile, players should expect the rental-unit cheat to be disabled in an upcoming patch, and EA will keep collecting save data and testing to address the scratch-file and lot-data leads.
