Scandals, Blackmail, and Secrets: How the New Intrigue System Works in The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy
After The Sims 4: Royalty & Legacy expansion pack was released, the developers shared information about the new rumors and scandals system that came with the update. In it, they share ways to create drama, as well as reveal secrets and mysteries! Let's take a closer look at this information.
Lead producer Azure introduced one of the most dramatic mechanics of The Sims 4: Royalty & Legacy expansion pack — the scandal system. And judging by the description, we're in for real chaos filled with rumors, exposés, blackmail, and public reputation falls:
Hello Simmers, Lead Producer Azure here to talk to you about all things scandalous!
Our Sims have always gotten up to all kinds of mischief, and we wanted to find a way to make sure their misadventures felt meaningful. To do this, we created the Scandals system - tracking and creating drama, as well as giving you all new ways to play with your stories.
How a Scandal Begins
Now any questionable antics can become a secret. Public woohoo? Secret child? Fake lineage? All of this gets recorded in the character's Journal.
In the secrets section you can see:
- what exactly happened,
- who was involved,
- how many days are left before society forgets about it.
If another sim notices the wrongdoing, the information will also appear in their journal — in the "Others' Secrets" section. This means rumors start spreading.
From this point on, the intrigue can spiral out of control.
How to Dig Up Others' Secrets
Not everyone wants to be the heroes of scandals — some prefer to create them. Sims can actively seek out compromising material. This can be done in several ways:
- question mutual acquaintances;
- buy information from an info broker through the computer;
- hack the system (with programming skill level 2);
- use an enchanted mirror and obtain information through mystical means.
In addition, rumors will appear in the game. If a character hears a suspicious story, the player will be asked to decide whether to believe it or not. If you choose to believe, the rumor turns into a full-fledged secret with consequences.
Sometimes the consequences can be absurd (for example, someone accused of "kissing frogs" will actually start finding frogs in their inventory). And sometimes — deadly serious.
Before irreversible events, the game will warn you. But the choice is always up to the player.
What You Can Do with a Secret
When a secret falls into your hands, it becomes a tool of power.
You can:
Cover it up. Through an info broker you can divert society's attention — for a certain fee.
Sell it. The juicier the scandal, the more simoleons. But selling your own secrets is a risky idea.
Blackmail. The most dangerous path. Secrets can be used to:
- get simoleons,
- force an aristocrat to abdicate the throne,
- achieve heir status,
- destroy rivals' alliances,
- strip someone of their dynasty status,
- increase authority with nobility or commoners.
Blackmail is considered an evil action and falls under the "Bad Deeds" category.
For manipulation lovers, a new life aspiration has appeared — "Social Puppeteer". The reward for completing it is the "Ironclad Reputation" trait. Such characters cannot be blackmailed, but they themselves become particularly effective manipulators.
What if you're being blackmailed?
Scandals are a two-way street. If your sim is being blackmailed, you have several options:
- refuse and find yourself at the center of a public scandal;
- pay for silence;
- stall for time and try to solve the problem differently;
- eliminate the blackmailer... one way or another.
If desired, the blackmail mechanic can be completely disabled in the settings.
What happens when a secret is revealed
As soon as a secret becomes public knowledge, a scandal begins. Characters find themselves surrounded by a "cloud of rumors," and consequences may include:
- decreased work efficiency;
- stress and frequent bathroom trips;
- deteriorated social interactions;
- dynasty prestige decline.
But not everyone reacts the same way. Some sims may actually sympathize with scandalous characters.
If you have the "Get Famous" expansion pack, you can use the video system to publicly apologize or refute the accusations.
Over time, any scandal dies down. This can be accelerated through publishing apologies or a press conference (for nobility).
Info Broker — The Main Rumor Middleman
A mysterious info broker will appear in Ondarion, who can be encountered at the Ye Old Voyager bar.
His services are available to everyone through the computer, but if your character manages to figure out his true identity, more direct access to his capabilities will open up.
It's through him that you can buy secrets, sell compromising material, cover up scandals, and direct public attention in the right direction.
Examples of Possible Secrets
The developers revealed several types of secrets that may appear in the game:
- WooHoo in Public
- Nasty Little Letters - Sim forges a breakup letter between two Sims.
- Sticky Fingered Filcher - Sim steals up to a certain value of goods.
- Grim Lover - Sim has a romantic relationship with the Grim Reaper.
- Clowning Around - Sim has a romantic relationship with Tragic Clown
- Suspicious Circumstances - Sim marries a partner, who has an untimely death within 3 days of being married.
- Having a Secret Child
- Forged Family Tree
- Forbidden Friends - Sim becomes good friends with someone from a rival dynasty.
- Star-Crossed Lovers - Sim becomes significant others with someone in a rivalry dynasty.
- Ballroom Blunder - Noble Sim agrees to become dance partners with a Commoner Sim.
- Plasma Thief! - Drank blood from another Sim against their will. Available with The Sims 4 Vampires Game Pack.
- Unfair Fairy - Consumed Emotional Energy from another Sim against their will. Available with The Sims 4 Enchanted by Nature Expansion Pack.
Each of these secrets can escalate into full-blown drama.
The scandal system in The Sims 4: Royalty & Legacy is not just a set of random rumors. It's a full-fledged storytelling tool that makes intrigue, power, and reputation feel alive and tangible.
Now sims' antics don't just disappear into thin air. They accumulate, spread, and change characters' destinies.
And, as the developers hinted at the end of the dev diary, the main question remains the same: will you be able to control the chaos — or will you become its victim?
