A modder known as romamash, based in Russia, has added the flags of the Russian Federation and several CIS nations to the PC version of a popular Spider-Man game, according to Portal GamesMail.Ru.
The enthusiast noted that the modification swaps the game’s original, muted banners for brighter flags representing Europe and Asia. Interestingly, LGBT symbols—previously guarded by another modder from removal—were left intact by romamash, reportedly to avoid challenges from Nexus Mods administrators who oversee the platform and its content policies.
Using the SMPCTool utility, players can now incorporate into the game the flags of the Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and even the fictional Daisy Valley, a locale home to the characters of the animated show Smeshariki.
Spider-Man, the highly acclaimed action-adventure title that originally launched as a PlayStation 4 exclusive in 2018, received a PC release announcement this year. A separate modification quickly emerged, replacing LGBT symbols seen in virtual New York with the flag of the United States state, drawing attention from the community and moderators alike.
Following the mod’s posting, the administrator of the hosting site removed the decision, framing it as a measure against what were described as anti-inclusion attitudes. The Russian-origin modification, however, remained active on Nexus Mods and continued to be accessible to users—despite the controversy surrounding the broader discussion of representation in gaming mods.
Industry coverage later noted that Microsoft’s public commentary had previously criticized Sony over exclusive rights to certain game titles, a topic that has long fueled debates about platform strategies and developer partnerships. In this context, the ongoing modding activity sits at the intersection of creative freedom, platform governance, and fan-driven enhancements that extend a game’s cultural reach beyond its original release window.