The Sims 4 has expanded its representation of African cultures with the release of the “Heritage & Royalty” pack, a collaboration between Electronic Arts and the Pan Africa Gaming Group (PAGG). The recent pack allows players to create dynastic narratives, complete with succession choices, political maneuvering, and family secrets.
A key element of the expansion is the introduction of Dembele, a new Sims 4 neighborhood inspired by West African aesthetics. “We integrated elements and styles from across West Africa, from Nigeria to Ghana, Benin to Senegal, considering how different cultures have influenced each other,” explained Maame Adjei, a member of PAGG. “For example, the Agbada, while deeply rooted in Yoruba culture and synonymous with Nigerian fashion, has become a staple of West African fashion. The goal was to create content that feels familiar without being a copy, and rooted in the region without reducing an entire continent to a single idea.”
The “Heritage & Royalty” pack offers a wide range of customization options, including hairstyles, clothing, food, and music. For the first time, Sims can listen to Afrobeat music, featuring artists such as Chella, Amaarae, and Joy Oladokun, alongside other Afro-American artists.
AesthGrace, a Sims 4 world creator specializing in African designs, highlighted the attention to detail within the pack, specifically praising the animation of Sims eating foufou, a staple food, by rotating it on their plates. She attributed this detail to the involvement of PAGG. “African stories have value, depth, and global appeal, and they need to be treated with intention. Not as a simple box to tick, but to allow players to genuinely discover the richness and depth of what might be new to them, and to allow those who already know these stories to feel seen,” AesthGrace said.
The collaboration builds on a previous Sims 4 update in November 2025 that celebrated West African design with free Build/Buy and Create a Sim items, also developed in partnership with PAGG and a group of Simmers connected to West African countries and the Black diaspora. According to Electronic Arts, the partnership ensured that every item honored the cultural traditions that inspired the release.
Leti Arts and Usiku Games, two African game studios, have gained global recognition following the release of the Sims 4 West African update, according to reports. PAGG’s Maame Adjei and Kasyoka Mwanzia emphasized the importance of the collaboration, stating that it allowed them to shape content that honors the beauty and complexity of West African culture.