Romance Club, the popular visual novel from the Moldova-based studio Your Story Interactive, will no longer operate in the Russian Federation as developers decline to align with a law that bans LGBT propaganda. This stance has been publicly framed as a principled choice rather than a shift in creative direction. The information surfaced on the game’s official Telegram channel and has since prompted discussions about censorship, digital rights, and the impact on players who rely on the app for entertainment and community.
The blocking decision came through Roskomnadzor, Russia’s media regulator, which has been active in enforcing national content rules. Developers with a global audience have often faced a tense balance between local compliance and international branding. In statements shared with fans, the team expressed sincere regret about the consequences for readers, for the staff, and for the trajectory of Romance Club, while underscoring that they will not alter the core values they promote. The studio emphasized that controversial content will stay as part of their portfolio because it mirrors the company’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and the freedom to express oneself.
Despite the rollout of geographic restrictions, Your Story Interactive signaled that new Romance Club narratives will continue to reach Russian audiences through alternate release channels and localized updates. This approach reflects a broader pattern where developers navigate regulatory landscapes while seeking to preserve creative integrity and audience connection. Fans in Russia are encouraged to monitor the game’s official channels for announcements about availability, timing, and future content.
Romance Club is described as a visual novel crafted by the Your Story Interactive team. During the early 2020s, it stood out in its category due to its broad appeal and a large, engaged player base. The project accumulated substantial downloads on major platforms and built a sizable community on social networks, illustrating the global reach of narrative-driven games that emphasize character choice, branching endings, and personalized storytelling.
In related policy developments, Russian lawmakers have periodically debated measures aimed at shielding residents from perceived discrimination, signaling a continuing discussion about how cultural works are assessed under national standards. Observers note that such debates can influence how online entertainment is produced, distributed, and consumed, sometimes resulting in abrupt changes to availability for certain regions. Extant debates emphasize the tension between regulatory objectives and the needs of international developers who wish to serve a diverse audience.