Feedback: Release "Wedding Stories" in Russia

Hi @losterkun,

The Sims team have released a statement on this here, I would keep an eye on that page for any future updates on this topic.

Yup, I've seen that. And I still don't get what have changed, why we can't see that story they wanted to tell. Why we could see Heckings' story and not this one. Of course I'll keep an eye on that one, still, I hope, we can change the Sims Team's mind if we'll talk about it. 'Cause that's just sounds unfair. How is Tinker family any other than Dom and Cam. Weddings are important part of the game.

@losterkun 

Check Russia's arcane laws about homosexuals. Then you will understand why it is not released there.

Well if you actually checked the laws as you said, you would know they can release the covert art with the lesbian couple, because the game is alreary rated 18+. They couldn't do that if the game wasn't rated this way. Carnival Kit was also released, even though Russia is againts men with feminine attire, like clothes, nail, or even drag queens

@PatrickClSim3Low 

The game is rated teen. I may be wrong about this but I do not believe Russia has laws against what you mentioned here, There are laws against homosexuals regardless if you are 18 or not.

So, disclaimer: I'm not Russian, I'm not a lawyer, blah blah blah.

This is the law they're talking about: https://www.humandignitytrust.org/wp-content/uploads/resources/Briefing_on_Russias_federal_anti-propaganda_law.pdf

So yes, the game is already 18+ in Russia and therefore the pack itself would be allowed.

However, the marketing is a whole other thing. The video trailer definitely violates the example "Using emotionally charged images for discrediting the traditional family model and promoting alternative family models. For example, a couple in non-traditional sexual relations can be represented as bright and charming." Also "Social approval. For example, direct or indirect approval of people who are in non-traditional sexual relations." So they would have to redo all their marketing, or just not advertise in Russia at all.

I'm also not aware of whether just the cover image in Origin counts as "propaganda to minors." There are "child accounts," and while I find people complaining about whether they can play certain games online I'm not seeing transparent descriptions of how age limits work in Origin. Again, not Russian, not a lawyer, and therefore can't say whether that would be a legal issue or not. That said, from Wikipedia:  "In November 2014, one day after current Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook publicly announced that he was proud of being gay, it was reported that an iPhone-shaped memorial honoring its late co-founder Steve Jobs had been removed from a Saint Petersburg university campus by its installer, the West European Financial Union (ZEFS). It was alleged that the memorial was removed due to the law because it was in an area frequented by minors." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_gay_propaganda_law)

Again, not a lawyer, not Russian. I hope that helps anyway.

Well not. The game is rated 18+ in Russia just like any other game or book, movie or show featuring LGBTQ+ themes. The Russian law  is againts "propaganda of LGBTQ+" among minors. Russians under 18 can't legally play the game, because it is againts this law. But this law doesn't ban the cover art because the game is already 18+. If it was againts law, then Carnival kit or Menswear Kit wouldn't be released as well, because they have cover art with possible LGBTQ themes (this law even bans different gender expressions, therefore men wearing skirts would be also againts law if it was promoted to minors). With that being said, they also made a post for Pride Month on Russian website or they featured gay couple in the Dogs and Cats EP

It is also worth to mention that this situation also affects players from Ukraine and players from Commonwealth of Independent States who are considered by EA as one region, regardless that Ukraine and most of the countries of CIS have different laws that don't ban anything. And someone noted that even countries like Czechia, Poland or Slovakia could be affected because they might be considered to be in a same region as well, regardless that these countries (except Poland) are LGBTQ friendly 

Fair enough, I'll happily cede the point on whether the cover art in Origin is an issue. I also agree that if it affects players in the Ukraine and other countries that aren't Russia that's not fair.

I still think it's about the marketing, and not wanting to create new, censored marketing materials. I'm not saying that as a statement that this is a positive or negative thing, by the way, just that... they don't want to create new marketing.

I'm with @losterkun  and @PatrickClSim3Low on this.  The game has had LGBT stories for quite a while now; Island Living's Oliana and Leila, Eco Lifestyle's Yasemin and Tina, Cats & Dogs' Brent and Brant, Cottage Living's Derek and Ian.  What's different with the wedding pack?  Perhaps the Sims team could further explain how Cam and Dom's story would have to change exactly.  The reason, conveyed in the team's released statement, is extremely vague.  I really hope it's not a marketing issue.  I really hope it's not some kind of stance that EA is taking against one particular government's policies, because that's only punishing the people for their government's views.  I sincerely doubt that withholding video game content is going to encourage some change among those in power.  Instead of bowing to an oppressive policy, find a way to make it work so that the people continue to have more outlets for self expression.

I have deeply, deeply mixed feelings about this issue.

I'm a queer/LGBTQIA/QUILTBAG Simmer myself, and I really don't want EA to censor their marketing materials to comply with homophobic laws. I also don't want Russian LGBTQIA Simmers to miss out on the pack because of this law. Unfortunately, I don't have any great suggestions!

When I say that it's the Marketing, I'm not trying to imply that it's some kind of stunt. I sincerely believe that the Sims team care deeply about their game, and about this story. It would be incredibly disheartening to come up with the wonderful trailer they created and then have to completely gut the story in order to play it in some markets. ☹️  I also don't want them to market the pack as "Our pack is SO SHOCKING!!!!! that we can't show footage in Russia!!!!! BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT IT'S SHOCKING!!!!!!!" ☹️  It's not shocking! It's a cute love story!

All that said: I think the difference is that... the Cats and Dogs trailer in the US showed Brent and Brant getting married and their pets wearing bow ties. I don't know if they cut that footage for markets that wouldn't allow it, but they can't cut Cam and Dom out of the trailer and still have a trailer.

All THAT said, I think that the LGBTQIA market in Russia is a vulnerable population, and, you know, we should probably listen to the vulnerable population that's being hurt. (Not that I know how to do that and still market the pack. A solid black or solid white cover in Russia? AAAAAAA!)