Following controversy over EA’s recent buyout, The Sims 4 starts 2026 with a big expansion about familial dynasties, kings and queens

EA has unveiled The Sims 4’s first major expansion of 2026. It’s called the Royalty & Legacy Expansion Pack and promises to be bring familial dynasties, scandal, and intrigue when it launches for all platforms on 12th February.

Of course, things haven’t been rosy in the world of The Sims of late; last year’s news of EA’s acquisition by a group of investors – including Saudi Arabia’s investment fund and Donald Trump’s son-in-law – has seen pushback from high-profile Sims 4 content creators amid concerns the conservative and anti-LGBTQIA+ values of the company’s new owners are significantly at odds with the game’s traditionally inclusive community. It’s caused enough of a ruckus that The Sims 4’s development team has repeatedly moved to insist it retains full creative control, and that its “values of inclusivity [have] not changed.”

It’s in this volatile climate that Royalty & Legacy – with its slightly muddled mix of familial dynasties, historical nods, and storybook whimsy – arrives. At the heart of it all is the expansion’s new world of Ondarion, a coastal region split into three distinct neighbourhoods. There’s the art-loving Dambele; Verdemar, where “heroic outlaws and cunning nobles” roam, plus the grand opulence of Bellacorde. And while each of these are ruled by their own dynasties, the throne of Ondarion as a whole is up for grabs.

Which is where the new Noble Career comes in. Sims on their quest for total supremacy can rise through the ranks – from Noble Newcomer to Kingdom Leader – by scheming, forging powerful alliances, completing Royal Duties, earning Favour in court through the choices they make, and more (not only in Ondarion, but across other worlds too). But the higher Sims climb in standing, the more likely they are to attract rivals, meaning the new Swordsmanship skill could come in handy. On top of that, Powershifts can occur over time, depending on players’ actions.

Elsewhere, you’ve got ballroom dancing, sword fighting tournaments, teleport-style secret passages for builders to exploit, and there’s a new familial Dynasty System – giving players the opportunity to designate heirs and outcasts, to expel Sims, or to usurp family headship in a bid to maintain a dynasty’s Prestige. That leads into the new Scandal System, which can impact Prestige, relationships, and careers as rumours of untoward behaviour spread. Sims can respond with denials, apologies, and more, and it’s also possible to weaponise rumours against rivals in order to gain the upper hand.

Rounding out the expansion’s feature list (as detailed in EA’s announcement) are new building bits, Create-a-Sim additions, plus a new Backroom Lot, used to craft innocuous buildings by day that become rather more raucous at night.

The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy will cost $39.99 (around £34.99) when it launches for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox on 12th February, and EA notes all purchases made between 15th January and 15th March this year will get a free upgrade to the Grand Bundle. This includes the expansion itself, plus the Regal Treasures Digital Content DLC (featuring A Crown of Leaves and Sparkles, the Enemies to Lovers Practice Dummy, and the Under the Stars Lantern), and two new kits: Tea Time Solarium and Silver Screen Style. Team Time Solarium is exactly what it sounds like – featuring glass walls, windows, and garden-inspired furniture – while Silver Screen Style is a fashion-focused DLC promising “dramatic gowns, sharp suits, bold accessories, and iconic outerwear”.