While The Sims is primarily about allowing players to create their own characters and stories, the franchise does have recurring pre-made playable Sims and NPCs. The most famous of these is Bella Goth, a character whose mysterious disappearance has fueled years of speculation and fan-theories. Perhaps even stranger, though, is Agnes Crumplebottom, a woman known for her grouchiness and violent hatred of romance.
Up until The Sims 4, Agnes had appeared in each mainline Sims game following her debut in The Sims: Hot Date expansion. She will finally join the latest game in the upcoming Cottage Living pack, once again berating any Sims who dare to engage in any romantic interactions in her vicinity. However, Agnes' backstory explains how she became the prude, crotchety old lady fans love and hate.
As an NPC in Hot Date, Agnes Crumplebottom (also called "Miss Crumplebottom") will appear on community lots. Should any Sims perform romantic actions while she's nearby, Agnes will scold them or beat them with her purse. Though she's deceased by the start of The Sims 2 (and can be resurrected using cheats), a distant relative named Mrs. CrumbleBottom takes on the same role in that game's Nightlife expansion. However, The Sims 3 -- a prequel to the rest of the series -- made her a playable character for the first time.
A much younger Agnes appears in The Sims 3, which reveals her tragic past. According to her biography, Agnes was briefly married to a man named Erik Darling. However, before she could even change her last name, Erik drowned on their honeymoon. The couple clearly had plans for a happy future together, as evidenced by the half-furnished nursery in their home, and the traumatic loss left Agnes bitter. While she can be romantically involved with other Sims in this game, Erik's ghost haunting her house might scare away any potential partners looking to pursue Agnes' heart -- or her fortune.
This sad story explains how Agnes (who, according to her Sims 3 traits, is a hopeless romantic) came to despise even the most innocent of public displays of affection. However, it also may contradict her original, much simpler backstory from the first game. The Sims' official strategy guide states that Agnes is the widow of Robert Crumplebottom, a "famed philanthropist and puppeteer." Following his death, she spends her time complaining about complaining about today's youth and, of course, attacking any Sims who don't abide by her Puritanical moral code.
While it's possible that Agnes did go on to marry again, perhaps with Robert taking her last name, the series has never confirmed if both backstories are canon. Regardless, The Sims 4 takes place in a separate timeline altogether, so it's possible this version of Miss Crumplebottom will have an entirely different history. Cottage Living's Agnes will live in the England-inspired world of Henford-on-Bagley, where she runs a garden produce stall with her (much nicer) cousin, Agatha Crumplebottom. Here, players can befriend her, complete quests she hands out and, of course, be assaulted by her via handbag for the crime of flirting anywhere near her.
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