“We are committed to the freedom to be who you are.”
The Sims 4 wedding themed Game Pack won’t be released in Russia due to its gay propaganda laws.
The Russian government passed a law in 2013 that supposedly protects children from homosexual content, stating it contradicts traditional family values.
EA and Maxis are launching the wedding expansion on 17th February, which includes a same-sex marriage storyline – as shown in the trailer. Rather than water down that content for the Russian market, they’ve stuck to their values ​​and decided not to release the game there.
in to statementthe Sims Team said: “Over the years, you’ve delighted us with the ways your Sims have found love and celebrated that love through weddings in our base game. You’ve also shared with us your eagerness to walk down the aisle, have your Sims take their seats and shed a tear of joy as you made a lifelong commitment.”
The expansion will follow the marriage storyline of two women, 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.
“We are steadfast in upholding that commitment by shining a light on and celebrating stories like Dom and Cam’s, so we have made the decision to forgo the release of ‘My Wedding Stories’ where our storytelling would be subject to changes because of federal laws. “
The expansion will give players the tools to create wedding storylines, from proposal, through Hen and Stag nights, to the wedding ceremony itself. You can also take your Sims on honeymoon.
A further look at the expansion is due on the EA Twitch and YouTube channels on 11th February at 6pm in the UK/10am PT.
