The upcoming Life Simulation game from Electronic Arts, The Sims 4 has just received an 18+ rating in Russia.
The news comes directly from The Sims Russia Twitter and Facebook which clearly indicate that the game is indeed not meant for children.
Callum9432 of The Sims 3 Forums has provided a translation of a tweet from The Sims 4 Russia Twitter which somehow indicates that this rating is due to Russia’s anti-gay laws.
According to the Tweet, the rating ‘was granted in accordance with the law number 436-FZ on the protection of children from information harmful to their health and development’.
The law number 436-FZ mentioned above includes the propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships as harmful. Whether this will actually be implemented or not remains to be seen, but if a Russian weblog Rolesim.net is to believed, the rating will change eventually just like it did with The Sims 3.
As for the United States, the rating by the ESRB is still pending, but since there are two separate organizations – in Russia and US – for the game, it is not necessary that US will also receive an 18+ rating. Besides, every other Sims game out there – both on Mobile and PC – has always received Teen rating.
While we wait for further news, check out some of the recently released images below which show some of the characters that you will be encountering in the game when it will hit the store shelves at the end of this year.
