The latest game pack for The Sims 4, My Wedding Stories, was recently revealed with a dramatic trailer showcasing a lesbian romance that lasts a lifetime. All the marketing - and the pack's cover design - centers around interracial lesbian couple, Dominique and Camille. It tells their story from a dramatic first kiss to a vow renewal after years of marriage. While Simmers adored the drama and diversity in this story, those in Russia will not be able to purchase the pack due to it being withheld from sale by the Sims team. EA has released a statement to explain this decision, made due to the country's strict censorship laws.
Dominique and Camille are introduced to us as "a couple whose love knows no boundaries" and they are central to the pack. Not only do they feature in the trailer, but they are also on the game pack's cover, in the screenshots used for promotion, and even have their own wedding website. This diverse couple ARE my wedding stories and highlight the team's vision to celebrate all love. The Sims team state that the pack is all about "the joy of finding love, celebrating that love and telling stories that have meaning on a personal level." In Russia, telling this story would be impossible due to censorship laws.
In order to release the pack, Dominique and Camille's story would have to be removed, and The Sims team isn't prepared to do that. The statement emphasizes the core beliefs of the team saying, "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. We are committed to the freedom to be who you are, to love who you love, and tell the stories you want to tell."
This commitment to diversity has been ongoing since the very first game, with The Sims always enabling players to tell LGBTQ+ friendly and diverse storylines. The ways this has been done have varied over the years, and the team remains committed to the cause, this time by holding back the pack in certain countries. "We are steadfast in upholding that commitment by shining a light on and celebrating stories like Dom and Cam’s, so we have made the decision to forgo the release of “My Wedding Stories” where our storytelling would be subject to changes because of federal laws." the statement reads.
By holding back this pack and refusing to bow to restrictions regarding its content, The Sims team continues to fly the flag for LGBTQ+ rights, prioritizing diversity over profit in a move that is being applauded by the community.