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Maxis, the Sims developer, has announced that it will not release My Wedding Stories, The Sims 4’s upcoming expansion pack in Russia.
Maxis stated in a blog post that releasing the pack to Russia would have been “compromising the values that we live by.” Maxis also said that they would have to change the development of the pack to comply with federal laws.
My Wedding Stories, a pack that focuses on weddings, allows players the ability to plan and organize elaborate weddings at a new location in Tartosa. This pack expands on the existing wedding features, including the proposal and the ceremony, but adds detailed planning, decor and cakes to make it even more special.
Although any adult Sim can currently marry another Sim in The Sims 4 (and will be able in My Wedding Stories), the pack’s marketing materials and storytelling specifically feature two women: Dominique, and Camille, who are planning their wedding.
Russian federal law in 2013 prohibited content that was targeted at children. This includes any content that promotes homosexuality as a social norm. Many human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch (UN Committee on the Rights of the Child) and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the law’s implementation.
At its 2014 launch, The Sims 4 was given a mature (18+ rating) in Russia because it included same-sex relationships. At the time, EA said it had no interest in altering the game’s content to get the rating adjusted — a view the publisher appears to be sticking to with My Wedding Stories.
We create everything with the intention of imagining the stories that our players will tell about our packs. The Sims Team wrote that they were thrilled to introduce Dom and Cam to you for “My Wedding Stories”. Their love story is a reflection of the lives of many in our community and our 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 Sims’ core mission is to be able to tell stories, any story. Holding back Cam and Dom’s story meant compromising the values we live by. We believe in the freedom to be yourself, to love what you love, and to tell the stories that you want.
Rebekah Valentine works as a news reporter at IGN. You can find Rebekah Valentine on Twitter @duckvalentine.
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