Sims 4 Wedding Pack Won’t Release In Russia Due To Anti-Gay Law

The next Sims 4 pack My Wedding Stories won’t be releasing in Russia due to the country’s anti-gay law.

EA announced yesterday, February 9, that The Sims 4 My Wedding Stories won’t see a release in Russia. While the pack isn’t explicitly an LGBTQ+ themed pack, the trailer and promotional material does put a lesbian couple called Dom and Cam front and centre. “Today we want to explain the decision we’ve made to not release this pack in Russia,” reads a post announcing the news. “For “My Wedding Stories,” we were excited to introduce you to Dom and Cam. Their love story reflects the lived experiences of so many members of our community and team.

“As we moved through our development and brand storytelling process, we became aware that the way we wanted to tell Cam and Dom’s story would not be something we could freely share around the world.

“The ability to tell stories – any story –  is at the core of what we do at The Sims. Holding back Cam and Dom’s story meant 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.”

the sims 4
Credit: EA/ Maxis

what does this mean?

The post goes on to explain what this means for players, saying that they have decided to “forgo the release of “My Wedding Stories” where our storytelling would be subject to changes because of federal laws.” As a result, this means the game will not be released in Russia.

In 2013, Russia introduced a law that in English speaking media is generally known as the gay propaganda or anti-gay law. The law prevents private individuals, schools and businesses from “promoting homosexual behaviour” among minors, facing massive fines if they do.

The news is likely to be a disappointment to Russian Sims fans. The Sims 4 already has an age rating of 18 in Russia, likely due to its depiction of same-sex relationships. So the pack not being released in Russia isn’t entirely surprising. 

Featured Image Credit: EA/ Maxis