Will it stay this way?
A few hours ago we got some first information regarding The Sims 4 My Wedding Stories coming to Russia. However, per EA’s usual fashion, it’s just a minor announcement to an upcoming announcement.
According to Russian EA Support:
There will be more information about the situation with the pack’s release once it releases worldwide
Продолжаю бомбить поддержку ЕА. На этот раз что-то новенькое ответили.#weddingsforrussia pic.twitter.com/uWtQQb7ajX
— WFR (@WFR15091945) February 15, 2022
Thank you @uniisight_j for translating! Tip: @Mushilda
It seems that we won’t be getting an official confirmation regarding The Sims 4 My Wedding Stories release in Russia until other countries get their hands on their pack on February 17th. If anything, we now know that they plan to say something?
Just a few hours ago The Sims Team released a new update for The Sims 4 Base Game preparing the game for the upcoming release of My Wedding Stories. The update contains all the localized versions of The Sims 4 My Wedding Stories, including the Russian version of the Game Pack.
Now, before anyone jumps to any conclusions, let’s get a few things straight:
- This is the in-game cover of My Wedding Stories in Russian language. None of the in-game covers contain Publisher credits and age ratings.
- This could’ve been the initial plan to release My Wedding Stories in Russia?
- The game still has to be localized in Russia for the Russian players located outside of Russia
- The game has to be localized in Russia for players who speak Russian and play the game in these following countries:
- Belarus
- Ukraine
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- The game is not banned and will release in Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
- This is what the game cover will look like on the release day in Russian language:
For those wondering, the cover for 16 different localized locations features a Lesbian couple walking down the aisle.
According to EA, the game had been banned from selling in Russia due to the couple being featured on the cover of the Game Pack.
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.
HOWEVER, if EA had planned to release the Pack in other Russian-speaking countries, as well as localize it in Russian for players outside of Russia, AS WELL AS do a seperate localization and cover art for such areas…
…then:
I honestly believe that at this point, EA may likely be joining other companies and boycotting the irl politics with Russia and used the queer community as a scapegoat reason
As I always sid, even at The Simns forum, EA taken part at the USA-Russia conflict
PD: I no k new that “Chivo expiatorio” had a translation to english, much less than is a TEXTUAL translation” escap goat
When I said that on the sims subreddit, people tell me to take off my tin-foil hat
I have been thinking for days that this has nothing to do with LGBTQA and everything to do with the current world events. I believe they maybe have some sort of trade NDA and saying the true reason publicly without an actual embargo in place isn’t something they can do legally, so they used LGBTQA as a public reason instead. The fact that it was going to release and then got pulled right as things began to escalate seems to be really obvious to me. I have a feeling EA will not make a public announcement until things on the world stage have calmed down. I bet things calm down, and suddenly they will apologize. I don’t believe they will or could reveal it was because of the conflict.
Screenshots of items and stuff:
Get angry all you want but I like this art more, I do not feel conditioned to think that the pack is only aimed at a part of the community. The story of Cam and Dom looks good in the trailer and as Lore de Tartosa BUT I do not see it necessary for the Cover of the Pack
What’s wrong with showing a happy couple on the cover of a wedding pack??
There is nothing wrong with it, but for Me who likes to eliminate the premade of all the world and create my own with their stories and transfondos it seems better that they allow me to imagine that it is my SIMS who will walk down the aisle.That’s the reason to call it fixation if you want
This hurts, but it’s less irritating than a complete ban. In the grand scheme of things nobody cares about a cover anyway – it’s the representation in-game that counts!
In my opinion:
This has been SUCH a PR stunt to get new (and younger) people to play/buy sims and more people that already play the sims to buy the pack. “Look they support LGBTQ+ to the point that they won’t compromise their integrity!”
While at the same time getting backlash from the community because everyone should be able to play. So of course they “Changed their minds.” after the (most likely expected) backlash from the sims community. Which in turn = more sales because “They listen to the community!”
Literally called it the day it was announced that they wouldn’t release in Russia, and now they have the perfect excuse as to why they changed the cover art for the Russian game pack without THAT causing backlash.