The trailer for the latest The Sims 4 expansion pack, My Wedding Stories, was released this week. It tells the love story of Dominque and Camille and their journey from friends to lovers. Electronic Arts (EA) have since released a statement revealing that they will not be releasing the pack in Russia.
This pack is all about love and love which “knows no boundaries”. The Sims 4 is working to make the game more inclusive, which we are seeing in trailers and game updates like customisable pronouns. However, the game is sold in Russia, where a law bans the distribution of “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships” among minors. Therefore, EA made the decision not to compromise their values and the pack will be unavailable in Russia.
Why has this announcement been controversial?
There have been divided opinions over this decision online. It would be hypocritical of the creators to promote equality and inclusivity and then release an adapted version of the game promotion specifically to suit these laws. However, there have previously been other releases in Russia of The Sims 4 that break like this law, like the trans flag in the Dream Home Decorator pack.
Furthermore, questions have also been raised about whether this trailer even breaks gay propaganda laws. Although The Sims 4 is rated 12 in the UK, in Russia the base game and all expansions are labelled as 18+. Therefore, the game is immediately exempt from this homonormativity propaganda law. They may be standing up for their values but have they accidentally become complicit with the Russian government by doing so?
Who does this have the biggest impact on?
The game’s creators are clearly trying to make a point about acceptance with good intentions. Whether or not this was a good idea, isn’t really for anyone to decide except the LGBTQ+ community in Russia. The financial loss of this for EA will not be huge but it will leave many Simmers excluded. The Sims 4 My Wedding Stories could have been a great way to promote love without boundaries and validate LGBTQ+ Russian Simmers and instead have reinforced the stereotypes and stigma that already exist in Russia.
For many, the Sims franchise is an opportunity to explore identity and be their true selves, especially so in an environment where they cannot do so in real life. Same-sex marriage has always been possible in The Sims 4; the decision not to release this pack in Russia mirrors the restrictions on same-sex relationships that queer Russian players face in real life.
The Sims™ 4 My Wedding Stories will be available from February 17, 2022 on PC/Mac, PlayStation and Xbox.
Words by Ella Gilbert
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