RimWorld: Royalty

This is a DLC expansion for RimWorld, requiring the base game to play, which deepens the colony simulation with new political and supernatural mechanics. You will manage a new nobility system where colonists gain titles, demanding luxurious palaces and adherence to etiquette. Key features include unlocking psychic powers for tactical advantages and engaging with structured quests and rituals involving the Imperial faction. The expansion also introduces new mechanoid combat structures and Imperial technology, significantly enhancing mid-to-late game management challenges and strategic depth.

This content functions as a significant expansion for the base colony simulation game, deepening the social, political, and supernatural elements of the core experience. Released in February 2020 for PC platforms including Windows, Linux, and Mac, this addition integrates seamlessly into an ongoing campaign, requiring the presence of the original title to function. It introduces a new layer of hierarchy and specialized abilities that affect how colonists interact with the world and each other, moving beyond simple survival toward establishing a recognized domain.

Core Gameplay Enhancements and New Systems

The primary addition revolves around the introduction of a formal nobility system. Colonists can now achieve specific titles through service or lineage, granting them particular privileges, responsibilities, and expectations. These nobles often demand luxurious accommodations and adherence to strict etiquette, adding new management challenges to the colony's infrastructure and resource allocation.

A significant mechanical shift involves the integration of psychic powers. Certain individuals, often those connected to the new nobility structure, can unlock and utilize powerful psionic abilities. These powers range from defensive shields to offensive blasts, providing new tactical options in combat and utility in daily colony operations. Mastering these abilities and managing the associated psychic sensitivity is a key focus of this expansion.

New Content and Atmosphere

The expansion enriches the setting with new questlines centered around the Imperial faction. Players will encounter structured quests and rituals that often involve interacting with Imperial envoys or fulfilling specific ceremonial duties. Success in these endeavors can lead to rewards, including access to advanced technology and further elevation within the social structure.

To support the new high-status colonists, the content introduces elements for creating more ornate living spaces, including requirements for luxurious palaces. Furthermore, new Imperial technology becomes available, offering advanced tools and defensive measures that contrast with the standard survival gear.

What new challenges does this expansion introduce?

Beyond the social complexities of managing nobles, the expansion brings new threats and defensive structures. Players will face challenges involving mechanoid combat structures, requiring specialized defensive planning and the use of the newly available Imperial tech to counter these advanced threats. The atmosphere shifts slightly, incorporating themes of courtly intrigue and the weight of imperial expectations alongside the established struggle for survival.

How does this content compare in scope to the base game?

While it does not introduce a completely new map or a separate story mode, the integration of the nobility, psychic powers, and quest systems represents a substantial mechanical overhaul. It adds significant depth to the mid-to-late game management aspects, offering new long-term goals centered on political standing rather than purely survival metrics. It functions as a major feature expansion rather than a minor content pack.

Additional Features

The experience is further enhanced by new ambient additions, including original musical compositions by Alistair Lindsay, which underscore the new social and political dynamics introduced by the expansion.

Core Gameplay Enhancements and New Systems