Household Won’t Load and Kicks Back to World Screen – Causes & Fixes

One of the most frustrating issues in The Sims 4 is when you try to load into a household, only to be thrown back to the world select screen. This problem can have multiple causes, ranging from corrupted saves to broken mods, but the good news is that there are several proven fixes.

Common Causes

• Corrupted Save – Your save file may have been damaged due to a crash, power outage, or game conflict.
• Broken or Outdated Mods/CC – Custom content and mods that are outdated (or broken after a patch) are the most common reason for this issue.
• Game Update vs. Mod Conflict – After a Sims 4 patch, some mods may not yet be updated, leading to compatibility problems.
• Corrupted Lot or Household – Sometimes a specific household, lot, or even a single object in the save is corrupted and prevents loading.
• Cache Issues – The game’s cache files can interfere with loading if they become outdated or corrupted.

Fixes to Try

1. Clear the Cache

1. Close the game.
2. Go to Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4.
3. Delete the file: localthumbcache.package.
4. Restart the game and try loading again.

2. Test Without Mods/CC

1. Move your entire Mods folder to your desktop.
2. Delete localthumbcache.package again.
3. Load the household.
4. If it works → one of your mods or CC is the problem.
5. To find the culprit, reintroduce mods/CC in small batches until the game breaks again.

3. Try a Different Save

1. Load another household or create a brand-new save.
2. If that works → your original save is likely corrupted.
3. If the same issue happens → the problem is in the game files or mods.

4. Restore a Backup Save

1. Go to Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > saves.
2. Look for files ending with .save.ver1, .save.ver2, .save.ver3.
3. Rename one (example: Slot_00000001.save.ver2 → Slot_00000001.save).
4. Launch the game to see if the older version loads correctly.

5. Repair the Game

1. EA App: Go to My Collection → Right-click The Sims 4 → Repair.
2. Steam: Right-click The Sims 4 → Properties → Installed Files → Verify Integrity.
3. This will fix missing or corrupted game files.

6. Check for Corrupted Households or Lots

If only one family won’t load:

1. Go to Manage Worlds, evict them, and move them back into a new house.
2. Try placing a copy of them from the Gallery.

If the lot itself is corrupted, move the family to a different lot and see if it loads.

Quick test: Try loading the same household on a different lot. If it works, the original lot is corrupted.

Editor's Note:

Most cases of being sent back to the world screen are caused by outdated mods or corrupted saves. Start by clearing cache and testing without mods, then move on to repairing the game or restoring backups. With a bit of trial and error, you can usually recover your household and get back to playing.

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