The Russian ratings agency has given The Sims 4 an 18+ Adults Only rating due to the inclusion of same-sex relationships.
All previous The Sims games have been granted 12+ ratings in Russia, but The Sims 4 fell victim to law number 436-FZ. The law was passed in 2010 to "protect children from information harmful to their health and development." The law originally criminalized subjecting children to materials that "may elicit fear, horror or panic," before it was amended in 2013 to prohibit "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships" as well.
Interestingly, Russian news outlets believe that this rating would have minimal impact on the game's market performance as retailers and customers typically don't pay attention to age ratings. Additionally, most games are pirated and sold through black market where there are no regulations.
