Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIn The Sims 4: Royalty & Legacy, uncover a secret by asking mutual acquaintances, rummaging through trash, hacking a computer, witnessing a misdeed, or buying information from the Information Broker. Use the Notebook to track what you learn. When a prompt presents a suspicion about another Sim, choose to believe it to make it a scandal; then use a phone or computer to reveal it. A Noble Sim can also expose a scandal at a press conference.
What you need before you start
The scandal system is part of The Sims 4: Royalty & Legacy, and the expansion requires the base game, The Sims 4. EA’s product page describes the expansion as a digital-content license.
How to discover another Sim’s secret
Build information about the Sim you want to investigate. EA lists several ways to uncover secrets:
- Ask mutual acquaintances about the Sim.
- Rummage through the Sim’s trash.
- Hack a computer.
- Witness a misdeed.
- Buy a secret about another Sim from the Information Broker on a computer.
The Information Broker is also described as frequenting the Ye Old Voyager bar in Ondarion. Exploring Ondarion, asking around, or hacking may help reveal the broker’s identity and unlock direct access to the service. These details and discovery routes are described in EA’s developer diary.
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- Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. For PC, see minimum system requirements for the pack.
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A Sim may also be caught doing something questionable in public, which can lead to a secret being uncovered. The exact secret depends on the situation and the packs installed. EA’s examples range from “WooHoo in Public” and “Having a Secret Child” to “Forged Family Tree,” “Forbidden Friends,” and “Star-Crossed Lovers.” Some secrets require other packs: “Plasma Thief!” requires The Sims 4: Vampires, and “Unfair Fairy” requires The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature.
How to turn a suspicion into a scandal
When the game presents a secret about another Sim, the choice is yours: believe it or dismiss it. Choose to believe the suspicion to make it real and turn it into a scandal; dismiss it to reject the rumor. That choice is separate from making a known scandal public.
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- Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. For PC, see minimum system requirements for the pack.
- Develop Parenting Skills – Level up your Sim’s parenting skills to satisfy their child’s needs and influence their behaviors. Gain new abilities through experience and choosing when to discipline bad actions, encourage good behavior, or just let kids be kids.
- Shape Your Sim’s Childhood – The decisions you make influence how your Sim parents and leave a lasting impact on their child’s future. Each choice shapes their personality, affects their traits, influences their family relationships, and guides their path into adulthood.
- Gather your Sim’s family to participate in new activities and spend quality time with each other. Sims of all ages can work together to complete a variety of school projects, express their creativity using construction blocks, or volunteer their time for good.
- Customize your Sims’ looks and their home with new family fashion and build items. Give the kids’ bedrooms extra personality, remodel the kitchen to feel homier, and let your Sims express their sporty or artistic sides with new outfits.
To review gathered information, open the Notebook in Live Mode. It is at the bottom left of the screen, beside the phone. EA’s instructions for discovery, the Notebook, and scandal actions are in its scandal guide.
How to expose a known scandal
Once a Sim’s scandal is known, use a phone or computer to reveal it. If the active Sim is Noble, a press conference is another official route. A PC Gamer account of one playthrough also reports revealing information by word of mouth or on social media; those are reported gameplay options, not a complete official list of interactions.
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- Requires The Sims 4 & all game updates. For PC, see minimum system requirements for the pack.
- Rule your story: Build a powerful Dynasty, shape shared Values, choose an Heir, or exile family members in a deep life simulation driven by legacy, prestige, and choice.
- Claim the crown: Rise through Nobility by winning the people, pleasing rival Nobles, dueling with swords, or exposing Scandals that can change the balance of power.
- Scandal fuels drama: Forbidden romances, secret children, and public disgrace can impact careers, relationships, Dynasty Prestige, and Noble Favor.
What happens after a scandal is exposed
Fallout depends on the scandal and the Sims involved. EA lists possible consequences including less success with romantic interactions, more difficulty building friendships, lost career progress, and a visible cloud around the affected Sim. Sims may shun, mock, or comfort those involved. EA’s developer diary also mentions decreased job performance, lower social success, possible Dynasty Prestige loss, and a nervous-bladder effect. Some Sims may approve of a particular scandal, improving social success with them.
Scandals vary in severity. EA gives being caught WooHooing a hired staff member as a minor example, while a secret-lover relationship or Social Services taking a child can have greater repercussions when discovered by someone outside the household. The game’s effects therefore depend on what happened; not every scandal has the same consequences.
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- A Different World - Explore StrangerVille, a rural desert town shrouded in secrecy. Encounter weird weather, creepy townies, dangerous plants, odd collectibles, and more.
- Unravel the Story – Immerse your Sim in unique and mysterious events. Unmarked vans appear in neighborhoods, government agents use secret listening devices, and scanners are key in detecting the unusual.
- Crack the Code – Have your Sims investigate using their Military training, searching for clues to solve a mystery that lies within the secret lab.
- Suit Up Your Sim – Get Sims in the mystery-solving mood by gearing them up in desert-inspired clothing and military fatigues, or prepare them for the end with conspiracy-themed clothes, secret agent attire, and a hazmat suit.
How to respond if your Sim is involved
The affected Sim can use a phone or computer to post an apology or denial. A Noble can make that response at a press conference. EA says every scandal eventually passes and that an apology or denial can speed the process. EA does not give one universal duration for all secrets or scandals. PC Gamer reported a seven-day timer for one secret in a single playthrough; that example should not be treated as a fixed timer for every case.
Alternatively, a Sim can embrace the scandal by writing a tell-all memoir for Simoleons. Video responses are available only with The Sims 4: Get Famous and its Video Station.
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- MAIN CHARACTERS WANTED: Recommended for 2-5 players, ages 12 and up
Using a scandal for extortion
A scandal can also be used to make demands. The official guide lists possible demands such as Simoleons, noble titles, favors, alliance changes or truces, outcasting a dynasty member, or making a dynasty head step down. To disable NPC extortion on your active Sim, go to Game Options > Pack Settings and switch off Allow Extortion on Active Sim.
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