Death

Death is the permanent state of (non-)existence in which a previously living Sim, pet, or other creature ceases to live. Causes of death can range from old age (brought on by reaching the end of the elder life stage), accident, player neglect, or through the deliberate choice(s) of the player.

Although death is typically a state of absolute finality, there are several ways in which the dead may still be interacted with or even brought back to life. The spirits of dead Sims are often left to roam the world as ghosts, and there exist several legitimate (i.e. in-game) and illegitimate (i.e. cheating) methods to revive ghosts.

Grim Reaper
The Sim that has died is visited by the anthropomorphic personification of Death in the form of the Grim Reaper. However, the Grim Reaper does not come if a Sim dies in a Skydiving Simulator in The Sims: Superstar, if a Toadified Sim is eaten by a dragon in The Sims: Makin' Magic, and if a Sim is eaten by the Cowplant from The Sims 2: University. In The Sims 2 and The Sims 3, the Grim Reaper plays a cameo depending on the method of death and the aspiration level of the Sim in question.

Unlike most legends of the Grim Reaper, he seems to be a kind being in The Sims series. His personality is perhaps a reference to the personified Death character in Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" novels. His nice side shows when a Sim with a full aspiration bar dies of old age, during the animation of a pet's death, or resurrecting kids with the Resurrect-O-Nomitron.

In The Sims Livin' Large and The Sims 2, a living Sim who is on the lot can plead with the Grim Reaper, asking him not to take the newly deceased Sim. The chances of success are determined by the relationship of the pleading Sim with the newly deceased, and pure chance. In The Sims, the Grim Reaper may be in a bad mood, and bring the deceased Sim back as a zombie. In The Sims and The Sims 2, it is not possible to plead for a Sim who has died of old age. Also, it may not be possible to plead for a drowned Sim, as living Sims will not be able to get to the Grim Reaper if he is out in the water. However, if The Sims 2: Apartment Life is installed, an infallibly good witch or warlock with 9 or more magic skill can use the spell "Expello Mortis", which will reach further out, though it will not be able to reach the middle of a very large pool. Also, in The Sims 2: FreeTime, Sims who have summoned a Genie and successfully wished for the power to cheat death can plead for their own lives even if they are in the middle of a pool or have died of old age.

In The Sims 2: Pets, the Grim Reaper plays a different animation for pets that die.

In The Sims 3, Sims can beg for their own life depending on the how happy the Sim was when they died. Somewhat "dramatic" music will play while the Grim Reaper is about.

Reviving
Death, however, isn't always permanent. With a wide range of items and/or cheats, a Sim can be given a second chance at life.

The Sims

 * In The Sims: Unleashed, a Sim can go to Old Town and ask Miss Lucille to revive a zombie family member (human or pet); however, she cannot resurrect dead ones.

The Sims 2

 * In The Sims 2: University, there is a special item, the Resurrect-O-Nomitron, which can restore Sims — for a hefty fee of up to §10,000. If the Sim who wants to bring another Sim back pays very little, the Sim will return as a zombie, with a set personality and possibly fewer (or no) skills. Children will be resurrected perfectly regardless of the amount of money paid. Female zombies are also infertile and can no longer have babies without the use of cheats.
 * In The Sims 2: FreeTime, A Sim can be revived with a Genie and his lamp, but if the wish fails, the Sim will be resurrected as a zombie. The chances of this happening are higher if the wish is made on the same day that the Sim died.
 * In The Sims 2: Apartment Life, an evil witch can revive a Sim as a zombie by casting the Vivificus Zombiae spell at that Sim's urn or tombstone.
 * In The Sims 2 Castaway, a potion called the Death Daisy Potion can be crafted.
 * In The Sims 2 for consoles, the ghost player can challenge the Grim Reaper to a fiddle contest. If the Sim wins, they will be revived. Or, if the player wishes not to, the ghost player can pay §100 to be resurrected.

The Sims 3
In The Sims 3, there is a special plant called a Death Flower. If a Sim is carrying this flower in their inventory at the time of their death, when the Grim Reaper shows up, the ghost will offer him the flower. Seemingly deeply moved by this gesture, the Grim Reaper will proceed to instantly resurrect the Sim. A Sim can be resurrected once for every Death Flower in their inventory. However, it seems that the Sim in question will suffer from any lowered motives, just to a lesser degree, so it is incredibly important to use this second chance to raise these motives before the Sim dies again.
 * A patch in The Sims 3 makes it possible for a Sim with high Logic skill to play chess for the dead Sim's life . Since chess is a hidden secret skill, that Sim's chances of winning are higher the more practice they have. This only works if the death was accidental; it will not help Sims who died of old age.
 * The Grim Reaper will not take the lives of Sims with the Unlucky trait if they died prematurely, claiming that their demise was too amusing and predictable. Sims with this trait can only die from old age, and if they have the Immortal lifetime reward or drank the Age Freeze potion, they become completely immortal, as they cannot die in any way.
 * By cooking Ambrosia, a ghost Sim can be brought back to life once they eat it.
 * In The Sims 3, an opportunity named 'Oh My Ghost!' sometimes pops up when 2 or more Sims have died of any reason. The Sim with the two graves in their Inventory receives the opportunity and can only let 1 ghost return from the Netherworld. The selected ghost will be ready to play as and can return when they like. Note that they can go through everything and can't receive the 'Can't go there' speech balloon. Their pie menus for interacting with other Sims is pretty small. To return, ghosts can click on the grave in their inventory, then 'Return to Netherworld' in the pie menu.The Sim that received the opportunity may get it again can be used on a different ghost, the same one if you feel they weren't there long enough, or the same one if you clicked Return to the Netherworld by mistake.
 * In The Sims 3: Pets, if a cat or dog is around when the Grim Reaper is reaping a Sim's soul, there's a 35% chance they will harass the Grim Reaper and bring the Sim back to life.
 * In The Sims 3: Showtime, a Sim or pet can be resurrected by making a wish to a Genie.
 * In The Sims 3: Supernatural, a witch can cast the reanimation ritual to bring them back as a zombie.
 * In The Sims 3 and The Sims 3 Pets for console, players can resurrect a ghost with the Divine Intervention Karma power.
 * In The Sims 3 Pets for console, if a Sim dies from an accident (or from a karma power such as getting hit with a meteor strike) their dog can harass death and resurrect the dead Sim. Upon revival, the dog will lick the Sim and they will go and play. This only works if the dog was around when the death occurred.

The Sims 4

 * Sims who have achieved the Bestselling Author aspiration will receive a reward trait, Epic Poet. Sims with this trait can write epic sagas which can resurrect dead Sims.

Intentional Death
Players can utilize various cheats, objects or game features to intentionally kill a Sim. This may be done for multiple reasons. Ways include:
 * Using Rodney's Death Creator to kill Sims in various ways.
 * Using the testingcheatsenabled cheat to lower a Sim's hunger need, thus starving them to death.
 * Trapping a Sim in a pool by removing all pool ladders or by building a wall around the pool, preventing the Sim from exiting the pool when their motives drop too low, or forcing a Sim to swim when they're fatigued from exercise. Eventually, the Sim trapped in the pool will drown.
 * Trapping a Sim in a room, then by some means starting a fire in that room. (i.e. a fireplace or fireworks)
 * Using cheats to trigger aging in an Elderly Sim in The Sims 2 and The Sims 3; since Elder is the oldest life stage, getting older than this results in death.
 * Having a Sim with low mechanical/handiness skill repair any electrical appliance or having any Sim repair an electrical appliance while standing in a puddle of water may electrocute that Sim.
 * Having a Sim with no or low mechanical skill repairing a flat screen TV will instantly kill the Sim.
 * Using testingcheatsenabled, Sims can be forcefully given the I Am Dead Token.

Types of deaths
Sims can be killed in a variety of ways which vary by game version. These include death by fire, shock, starvation, flies, being eaten by the cow plant and being scared to death.

The Sims

 * Starvation: If a Sim or Pet's hunger bar depletes completely, they will starve. If a Sim with low hunger is scared by a ghost, they are also at risk of starving to death.
 * Drowning: If a Sim uses a swimming pool for too long, they might drown. Swimming with low energy increases the chances of this occurring, but it can happen at random. The pool ladder can be sold once a Sim is in the pool, and eventually they will drown because they can't get out.Firework launcher and rugs.jpg
 * Fire: If a Sim or Pet catches on fire, they will turn into ashes and die. In some versions of the game it is also possible for a Sim to randomly burst into flames via spontaneous combustion, though this is very uncommon.
 * Electrocution: If a Sim uses electrical items while standing in a puddle, or has low Mechanical skill and tries to repair broken electric items, they may die of electrocution.
 * Guinea Pig Disease: Sims who play with guinea pigs can be bitten and infected with a disease. The disease is contagious, and a Sim infected with it will die if not treated.
 * Skydiving Simulator: If a Sim using the skydiving simulator has low energy, they will be launched to the sky and die. Sims with low moods will not use the simulator; the entrance must be blocked so the Sim cannot leave as their motives deplete. Sims who die in this manner will not be visited by the Grim Reaper.
 * Toadification: A Sim who has been turned into a toad may be eaten by a dragon or a cat. Sims who die in this manner will not be visited by the Grim Reaper.

The Sims Bustin' Out

 * Mutant Plant: A mutant plant that's created by an incubator can eat other Sims if it is hungry. To avoid this, the mutant plant must be fed regularly. NPCs can be eaten, and this can produce ghost service Sims.
 * High Dive: When a sim using the High Dive dives into the ground if their comfort is low, they will die.
 * Fire: When a sim with low cooking skill uses the stove there is a possibility of the stove catching on fire. If the sim catches on fire and is not extinguished, they will die.

The Sims 2

 * Starvation: If Sims don't eat for a prolonged period of several days, they will starve. Sims who are teens and older can die in this way. Babies, toddlers, and children will be taken away by the Social Worker instead if their hunger need is low enough for too long.
 * Electrocution: If Sims have low Mechanical skill and try to repair broken electrical items, they might be electrocuted and die if their needs drop too low. Sims who are teens and older can die in this way.
 * Drowning: If Sims swim until their hunger or energy need drops too low, they will drown. The player can remove the pool ladder to prevent Sims from getting out of the pool. Sims who are children and older can die in this way.
 * Fire: Sims who are on fire long enough and are not extinguished while burning will die. This is the only death that isn't caused by need drop. The needs of burning Sims will drop significantly, but cannot be lower than -90. This is why Sims will die even if the player constantly uses the maxmotives cheat or drags their needs with testingcheatsenabled cheat. Sims who are children and older can die in this way. Babies and toddlers cannot die from fire.
 * Old age: When elders reach the end of their lifespan, they will die of old age. This way, Sims cannot plead with the Grim Reaper to revive the deceased Sims. Sims can die happily if they are in gold or platinum Aspiration when they die. The Grim Reaper and two Hula Zombies will appear and relaxing music will play. The Sims will pick up their suitcase and walk off with the Grim Reaper. If their Aspiration is lower than gold, the Grim Reaper will show the Sim its hourglass of life and the Sim will try to pull it away from the Grim Reaper, but to no avail, and die. Sims who die in platinum aspiration will get a gold grave with their Aspiration's symbol engraved on it. Sims who die of old age will give inheritances to their family and friends.
 * Disease: Sims who catch a lethal disease, such as Pneumonia or Mysterious Disease, will eventually die if not treated. Non-fatal diseases, such as the Flu or Cold, will not kill Sims, but will eventually turn into Pneumonia if their severity is high. Sims can be cured by resting, taking a cure from the Biotech Station, drinking orange juice or eating Grandma's Comfort Soup. Sims who are teens and older can die in this way. Children will not die from disease, as they will be taken away by the Social Worker if they reach that point. However, the Social Worker will also take away all other children in the family, regardless of their health. It should be noted that many players find it incredibly difficult, if not impossible for a Sim to die from disease during normal gameplay. Unless the disease is 100% lethal your Sim will most likely recover on their own from anything.
 * Flies: If a lot is too dirty and contains many fly-infested objects, such as dirty dishes, there is a chance that the flies could form a killer swarm when Sims step over a fly-infested object and eat the Sim alive. Servos are immune to this death.
 * Fright: Sims who see a ghost will have their motives fall drastically. If any four of the needs drop too low, Sims will die. Sims who are teens and older can die in this way. Children will wet themselves or pass out, instead.
 * Satellite: While Sims are watching clouds (daytime) or stargazing without the telescope (nighttime), there is a very remote chance that a satellite will fall on them. The satellite can be sold in buy mode, but it devalues quickly. Sims who are children and older can die in this way, as can Servos..
 * Death for no reason: Some Sims die for no reason, the "mysterious choking death". This is a bug that has been fixed by patches and in later expansions. It is caused by a mistake in the disease coding. In the unpatched base game, pregnant Sims were extremely vulnerable to sudden death.
 * Scissors: If player downloads the Running with Scissors Playset from the Maxis site and a Sim runs with them, there's a chance they may fall and be stabbed. This object can no longer be downloaded since the website shut down on January 14, 2013. Servos can die in this way.

The Sims 2: University

 * Cowplant: Sims who attempt to grab the cake from a hungry Cowplant will be eaten alive. The Grim Reaper does not come when Sims are eaten by the Cowplant. Instead, the tombstone will come directly out of the Cowplant's mouth. Sims cannot plead with the Grim Reaper to resurrect the Sim, nor can eaten Sims plead for their own lives. Servos can die in this way.

The Sims 2: Nightlife

 * Coffin Scare: Sims can peek in a vampire's coffin with a vampire in it. The vampire may scare the peeking Sims and lower their motives. If Sims' needs fall too low, they will die. Sims who are teens and older can die in this way. This death is similar to death by fright, though they are not the same.
 * Sunlight: If vampires are exposed in the sun for too long, their needs will drop significantly. If their hunger, comfort, energy, fun, and hygiene needs drop too low, they will sizzle and die. Teens and older Vampires can die in this way.

The Sims 2: Open for Business

 * Rally Forth: If a Sim uses the Rally Forth business perk and their needs drop too low, they will choke from shouting and die.

The Sims 2: Seasons

 * Wishing Well: If a Sim wishes for money from the wishing well and the wish fails, there is a 25% chance that the sack of money will be worth §1 and kill the Sim outright.
 * Hail: Sims who are bludgeoned by hail will have their needs reduced significantly. Sims whose needs are too low when bludgeoned by hail will die. Sims who are teens and older can die in this way. Servos are immune.
 * Lightning: When Sims are struck by lightning and their needs get too low, they will die. Sims who are swimming or in a hot tub have a higher chance of being struck.

The Sims 2: Apartment Life

 * Murphy bed: When opening the Murphy bed, if a Sim has less than 5 body skill and -70 or less mood, there is a 5% chance that it will fall on and crush the Sim, instantly killing them regardless of their needs. Their ghost avoids the bed that killed them.

Other causes of death
Some things that can kill Sims do so by causing a death from the previous list. The following events do not directly kill the Sim, but cause death indirectly, usually by lowering a Sim's motives to the point of death.
 * Elevators: If the elevator breaks down while Sims are in it, their needs will drop. However, they will not die unless their hunger drops too low. Since there is no animation for death by elevator, they will simply die of hunger.
 * Evil Snapdragon Bouquet: A poorly-made Snapdragon Bouquets will become evil. An Evil Snapdragon Bouquet will decrease Sims' motives slowly, but not significantly. This can eventually deplete the hunger need, causing Sims to starve.
 * Evil Kite:A poorly-made kite will become evil and attracts lightning when flown. This works like death from lightning and will not kill children.
 * Sack of Money: If the wish fails, there is a 75% chance that the sack will be worth §25 and fall on the Sim. This will drop their needs, but not fatally. However, if the hunger need drops too low, the Sim may die of hunger.
 * Witch Throne: When a Witch sits on an opposite-alignment throne, e.g. Good Witch sits on Claw of Darkness throne, the Witch's needs will decay drastically, similar to the way the needs decay when Sims use The Eclectic and Enigmatic Energizer with low Aspiration. This might cause the Sim to die of hunger.

The Sims 2 (Console)

 * Starvation: When a Sim goes a long time without eating they can starve to death.
 * Electrocution: When a Sim tries to repair an object while standing in a puddle or with a low repair skill they have a chance of being electrocuted.
 * Fire: When a fire starts and a Sim is unfortunate enough to be caught in it they will most likely die.
 * Dancing on own Grave Stone: When a Sim dies and is brought back to life their gravestone will still be on the lot. Should a Sim come back to life, they can dance on their own grave, prompting them to be set on fire and die again.
 * Vitalize: If a Sim uses a vitalize machine while needs are low there is 50% chance they will die
 * Poison: Making a food using Llama, Beet, Flauxlestra and Squid is going to make any Sim puke and die.

The Sims 2 (Nintendo DS)
Sims cannot die in The Sims 2 (Nintendo DS). They will pass out when losing all their sanity, and recover in the Manager's Suite. They lose their sanity by having a low hunger or hygiene need. This is the same with The Sims 3 (Nintendo DS).

The Sims 2 (PSP)

 * Starvation: When a Sim goes a long time without eating they can starve to death. Vampires' hunger need will decrease faster in the sun, which can cause them to die from starvation faster.
 * Headache: If a Sim's headache need is not filled, they may die after a long period of time.
 * Vitalize: If a Sim uses a vitalize machine while their needs are low there is 50% chance they will die.
 * Drowning: If a sim relaxes or sleeps in the water bed they have a slight chance of facing Death.

The Sims 3

 * Fire (children and older): If a Sim is on fire for one hour, then they will die (Sims with the Daredevil trait or the hidden Pyromaniac trait take three hours to die; those with the hidden Immune to Fire will not die). There are various causes of fire, listed in Fire.
 * Drowning (children and older): This can happen if the Sim is too tired and has the "Fatigued" moodlet. If the Sim is unable to exit the pool, (walls around the pool, etc.) then they will drown.
 * Electrocution (teens and older): Happens if a Sim gets electrocuted and receives the "Singed" moodlet. A Sim can get electrocuted if their Handiness skill is too low, or if they are standing in a puddle while repairing an object.
 * Starvation (teens and older): If a Sim with the "Starving" moodlet does not eat before the moodlet expires, they collapse, and die. There have been reports where Sims die by choking from participating in the eating contest from Seasons, though this is essentially a game glitch which actually addresses it as death by starvation. This glitch was fixed in the version 1.50 patch.
 * Old Age (elders): The Sim reaches the end of the elder stage and dies.

The Sims 3 Store

 * Cowplant: If a Cowplant isn't fed for certain amount of time, it will pull out a slice of cake. As in The Sims 2: University, Sims will try to grab the cake and will be eaten. The eaten Sim's tombstone and ghost represent the death of starvation. Players can purchase the Cowplant here.
 * Door of Life and Death: There's a pit monster under the doormat of the Door of Life and Death. Sims will be attacked by the monster and killed if they upset the Grim Reaper or lose the guitar challenge against him. The pit monster attracts paparazzis and zombies, so it's useful to get rid of them. The killed Sim's tombstone and ghost represent the death by drowning. Players can purchase the Door of Life and Death as part of Grim's Ghastly Manor here.

The Sims 3: World Adventures

 * Mummy's Curse: If a Sim loses a fight to a mummy, they are sometimes cursed, and receives a moodlet indicating this. In 14 days they will die by turning into dust. The curse can be cured with a visit to The Great Sphinx.

The Sims 3: Ambitions

 * Meteor: If a Sim stands outside for a while, there is an unlikely chance you will get a note saying that it has suddenly gotten dark. A meteor shower is a rare in-game event that can occur in any world. If you don't move your Sim the meteor will crush the sim, ending their life. This is more likely to happen while using a telescope. Sims near the impact may catch fire, and windows and furniture of your sim's house may be damaged from the impact if it struck their home lot. With Seasons, aliens are able to summon meteors and it is much easier to kill other Sims.

The Sims 3: Late Night

 * Thirst: If vampire's thirst need depletes completely, they will die of thirst.

The Sims 3: Pets

 * Old Age: (Pets only) Pets can die from old age when they reach the end of their elder life stage.

The Sims 3: Showtime

 * Human Statue: When a magician who performs the Buried Alive trick from the Box of Danger fails the trick, there's a chance they will die. The trick is unlocked at level 7 of Magician career. Losers who fail this trick and die will not be resurrected despite their trait's ability to escape most other deaths.
 * Watery Grave: When a magician who performs the Watery Grave trick from the Box of Danger fails the trick, there's a chance they will die. The trick is unlocked at level 9 of Magician career. Although both deaths (Watery Grave and Drowning) seem to be similar, they're treated as distinct deaths in the game. As of patch 1.50, the ghosts for boths deaths have changed: Drowning is a light blue, and Watery Grave is a dark blue.

The Sims 3: Supernatural

 * Jelly Bean: There is a slight 1% chance that a Sim can die of eating a "Magic Jelly Bean" from the Magic Jelly Bean Bush.
 * Haunting Curse: Witches with at least a level five of Spellcasting (hidden skill) can die if their attempted Haunting Curse spell fails and backfires on them.
 * Transmutation: A Sim who uses The Philosopher's Stone may have a chance of turning into a gold statue when transmuting objects into gold. If so, they will pose while turning into gold and die. The gold statue of their expression at the time of death will remain an object for Sims to keep.

The Sims 3: Seasons

 * Freezing: Sims can freeze to death if they are too long outside in an extremely cold temperature.

The Sims 3: University Life

 * Blunt Force Trauma: Sims may die when they fail to open or close a Murphy bed, which will crush them to death. They can also be crushed in this manner by a vending machine, if slamming or shaking it while trying to get free candy or soda.
 * Ranting: There's a chance Sims will get a warning from the Grim Reaper when they rant about death. They will get a moodlet that will last for 12 hours. If they rant about death within the time, the Sim will die.

The Sims 3: Island Paradise

 * Running out of Air: While scuba-diving, Sims can run out of air if they stay underwater for too long, which can cause them to die.
 * Shark Attack: A shark may appear while Sims are scuba diving. Sims can avoid the shark by hiding inside an underwater cave. The shark might attack the Sim, resulting in death.
 * Dehydration: If a mermaid is left without fulfilling their hydration need, they will pass out. Other Sims can splash water on the mermaid rehydrate them. Otherwise, if they are left without being splashed, they will die of dehydration.

The Sims 3: Into the Future

 * Time Anomaly: When Sims travel through time, there's a chance they will catch "Time Paradox Sickness" moodlet, that will last for 4 hours. If it's left untreated, it will turn into "Blinking In and Out of Existence", and then "Do I Even Exist?" moodlets, that will last for 1 day each. When the moodlet expires, Sims will die of time anomaly. Descendants can also die with this way if the future is altered in the present. Their gravestones can be retrieved at a mausoleum.
 * Jetpack Crash: Also known as falling from the sky. Is when Sims fly around using jetpack, and there is up to a 25% chance that the Sims will fall, and the jetpack crashes into the ground which may or may not kill Sims.

The Sims Medieval

 * Dueling: Knights, Monarchs, and Spies have the option to duel to the death (as opposed to merely dueling to a knockout or surrender). The loser of such a duel will die.
 * Plague: Medieval Sims can fall ill and die of the plague. It is the physician's job to prevent this from happening. This is a reference to the black death epidemic.
 * Murder: Sims can kill other Sims. Some examples include being poisoned by a Spy, or being killed by a Wizard's spells.
 * Execution: Sims can be sent to execution for various reasons, including failing to do their jobs. Sims are executed by being fed to a monster.
 * Starvation: If a Sim doesn't eat for a long period of time (several days), they will starve and die.

The Sims 4
It has been confirmed that some of the deaths in The Sims 4 include hunger, fire, old age, electrocution, laughter, anger, and embarrassment, and possibly more.

It has been demonstrated that the cowplant would eat Sims like in the previous series, though it hasn't been confirmed whether it will kill Sims or not.

Trivia

 * If a Sim starves while scuba diving, they will still be treated as if they died by running out of air.
 * If a Sim dies by Mummy's curse while scuba diving, they will be treated as if they died on land, and their ghost will be invisible until they jump into their grave. After that, the Grim Reaper will remain stuck standing on the bottom of the sea forever.
 * Generations is the only expansion pack for The Sims 3 that did not introduce any new type of death.