'The goal was always to create engaging and varied content that supported players ideas and stories, not historical realism' — The Sims 4’s lead game designer talks Royalty and Legacy

The latest The Sims 4 expansion pack is here, and it’s one of my favorites yet. Blending rich story-building gameplay mechanics with gorgeous new assets and worldbuilding lore, Royalty and Legacy is among the best-rounded packs I’ve played in the 12 years since the game was released.

There’s a bit of something for a lot of player types here, but mostly it’s the lore-rich, expansive world and opportunities for creating richer storylines with features like Dynasties and Scandals that captured my imagination.

I had the opportunity to speak with Xènia Peña, The Sims 4’s lead game designer, to ask more about how one of the best Sims 4 expansions I've played came together.