The Sims 4 Royalty and Legacy: all the confirmed features in the next expansion
The first Sims 4 expansion of the year has been revealed and it's cause for celebration for two groups of players: the Romantasy fans who are going to start churning out 'enemies to lovers' warring dynasty storylines and everyone who's been asking to finally get an expansion with an African theme. The Sims 4 Royalty and Legacy is all about creating family dynasties, earning prestige, and responding to scandals—this one is definitely for the Live Mode players.
EA says it partnered with the same Pan African Gaming Group as it did for the West African update last year to work on the new Create-A-Sim and Build/Buy mode items for Royalty and Legacy. One of the three neighborhoods in the expansion's new world is also West African-inspired.
Royalty and Legacy release date
Sims 4 Royalty and Legacy launches on February 12, 2026 for the usual $40 expansion pack price.
Typically there's bonus content included for players who buy the expansion within its first couple months, which is happening again, but this time it's two full new kits. The upcoming Tea Time Solarium and Silver Screen Style kits are included with Royalty and Legacy if you buy it before March 15.
Sims 4 Royalty and Legacy trailer
The reveal trailer for Royalty and Legacy gives away quite a lot of the planned features coming in the expansion plus hints towards a bunch more. You can see three main families (dynasties) that will feature in the expansion's story, traces of the new "scandals" system, meters for dynastic "prestige" and "unity" and more. Plus a whole lotta swords. You can't do royalty without some ornamental pomp.
There's a gameplay trailer scheduled for January 22 that will show off more of the nobility system.
Sims 4 Royalty and Legacy features
- New world: Ondarion
- New career: Noble
- New lot type: Backroom
- New skill: Swordsmanship
- New resource: Favor
- New WooHoo: Secret passage
- New death: Cuckoo clock
- Dynasty system
- "Scandals" system
- Sword duels
- Secret passageway item
- Swordsmanship tournaments
Royal dynasties
Family dynasties are the big new feature for the Royalty and Legacy expansion and seem like they'll operate from a menu similar to other group features like clubs and werewolf clans and so on.
Here's what's been revealed about how you'll manage a dynasty:
- Choosing "values" which may be the same as or cross over with existing Traits
- Designate an heir
- Designate an outcast (seems to imply just one?)
- Usurp the head of family
- Expel a sim from the dynasty
- Earn "Prestige" for the dynasty—likely to unlock perks at level milestones
- "Scandals" like bad behavior or infidelity can lower PRestige
- Respond to scandals by issuing an apology, denying it online, or writing a book
Backrooms
This new lot type in Royalty and Legacy is dual purpose. You can build it as a library, gym, or museum that will then transform into a night club at night.
The reveal trailer for the expansion didn't show this system in action, but I'd guess it likely reuses the lot segmenting tools from For Rent and Businesses and Hobbies to denote the daytime rooms of the lot versus the night club portion.
Sims 4 Royalty and Legacy new world
The new world for Royalty and Legacy is called Ondarion which will have three neighborhoods (and three corresponding dynasties). Here's what EA has said about each:
- Dambele is the West African-inspired neighborhood and home of the Darong Dynasty, "where the arts are cherished, and shared spaces such as the open palace gardens and communal market embody its culture of generosity and togetherness."
- Verdemar is home of the Thebe Dynasty and "populated by heroic outlaws and cunning nobles, is as unpredictable as the sea that surrounds it."
- Bellacorde is home of the Capp Dynasty and "defined by romance, opulence, and candlelit corners that invite illicit rendezvous."