The Sims' developers will release The Sims 4 “My Wedding Stories” expansion pack in Russia after “listening to the outpouring of feelings” of the gaming community, they announced Wednesday.
The Sims 4 “My Wedding Stories” expansion pack adds onto the game’s existing wedding features and increases customization. While LGBTQ+ representation and same-sex marriages were already present in The Sims 4 — resulting in the game’s 18+ rating in Russia — concerns arose over the expansion pack’s marketing and brand storytelling, which follows two female Sims as they plan their wedding.
Earlier this month, the game’s developers Electronic Arts said they decided not to release the pack in Russia, as altering its content to comply with local laws would have “meant compromising the values we live by.”
Sims fans met the news with fierce criticism, asking the developers to reassess their decision not to sell the new game pack in Russia.
The game developers said they will release the expansion pack in Russia “unaltered and unchanged.”
Originally scheduled for Feb. 17th, the expansion pack will now be released on Feb. 23.
Russia’s controversial “gay propaganda” law has limited depictions of homosexuality across many mediums including theatre and cinema in addition to video games.
EA's initial decision to limit the game’s release came after news that Kremlin spent an additional 7 billion rubles last year funding online “spiritual and moral” content targeting young people, with plans to award of state grants to video game developers who create patriotic games about World War II.
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