The developer ofThe Sims 4, Maxis, has shared a statement with fans about the soon-to-be releasedSims 4expansion pack “My Wedding Stories," explaining its decision not make the expansion available for purchase in Russia.
My Wedding Storieswas recently announced as thelatest expansion pack forThe Sims 4, releasing February 17. Expanding upon the base game’s existing marriage mechanic, the expansion allows players to plan extravagant wedding ceremonies for their Sims to be held in a new location for the game, Tartosa.
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The trailer forthe expansion shows off a storylinethat follows two female Sims, Dom and Cam, as they get together and plan their wedding. This goes against a Russian federal law that was passed in 2013 banning any marketing campaigns that could be aimed at children from depicting homosexuality as a societal norm. This law labels any such marketing as “gay propaganda.”
Same-sex marriages already appeared in the base game ofThe Sims 4, which was released in Russia, albeit with an 18+ age rating explicitly for that reason. At the time of the game’s release EA stated that it was not going to change the content of the game in the Russian release to change the age rating. EA is taking a similar stance this time again, refusing to alter the marketing of the expansion and forgoing a Russian release.
Despite the fact that only the marketing campaign is keeping the expansion from releasing unaltered in Russia, still with an 18+ rating, it would take more than just altering the trailer to bypass the Russian anti-LGBTQ+ law. Besides,The Simsdevelopers say they are committed to the story of Cam and Dom and that altering it would mean “compromising the values we live by. We are committed to the freedom to be who you are, to love who you love and tell the stories you want to tell.” Historically in the gaming industry, a game being banned or recalled has usually only served to make it more desirable.
It is a staple ofThe Simsgames to release numerous expansion packsbased around different scenarios or lifestyles;My Wedding Storiesis only the latest in a long line. Many expansion packs forThe Sims 4have already released everywhere including Russia such as: “Realm of Magic” which allows Sims to practice magic, “Journey to Batuu,” aStar Warsthemed expansion and “Vampires,” which is self-explanatory.
The Sims 4is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
