Russia considering ban on Apex Legends & Overwatch 2 over “LGBT propaganda”

Overwatch 2 and Apex Legends could soon be banned in Russia, according to a report stating a list of so-called “LGBT propaganda” games is being formed.

On October 27, the BBC reported Russia was extending its ban on all “gay propaganda” sharing to all adults, toughening its 2013 laws that made the act of providing information about being LGBT to children illegal.

Making reference to transgender people, Russia now prohibits information that may “cause minors to desire to change their sex”.

The changes in Russian law look set to affect the video game industry in the country, too.

Russia may ban Overwatch, Apex Legends & The Sims

Several major franchises have been named on a list for a potential future ban, with State Duma proposing a ban on November 11 for those promoting LGBT.

The first deputy chairman of State Duma Committee on Education, Yana Lantratova, has proposed that a number of video games featuring LGBTQIA characters are removed from circulation.

If the proposal is approved, players and video game developers would be liable in the way of fines. These fines would be up to five million rubles for legal entities, for example.

Which video games could be banned in Russia?

According to a report from Gazeta.ru, the following games were listed as those that may be banned in Russia:

• Apex Legends
• Assassin’s Creed
• Borderlands
• Divinity: Original Sin 2
• Dragon Age
• Fallout
• Life Is Strange
• The Last of Us
• Rim World
• Overwatch
• The Sims 3

“We are talking about the promotion of non-traditional relationships, when they are served as the norm, something attractive,” Lantratova said.

In Overwatch 2, Tracer and Soldier 76 are both confirmed to be gay. In Apex Legends, Bloodhound, Gibraltar, Loba, Fuse, Valkyrie, Seer, and Catalyst are all LGBTQIA characters.