Last week, the Ukrainian government put out a public call to “all game development companies” to “temporarily block all Russian and Belorussian accounts” in response to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Now, after a slow start, many of the game industry's major players are heeding that call and cutting off new sales in the country.
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French mega-publisher Ubisoft became the latest game company to take action against Russian customers Monday morning, telling Bloomberg that it is “suspending its physical and digital sales” in the Russian market. Take-Two announced a similar move earlier in the morning, telling Mashable that it is stopping “new sales, installations, and marketing support” in Russia and Belarus, including purchases made through the Rockstar Game Launcher.
The new announcements come after a flurry of similar actions taken by large game publishers over the weekend. Activision Blizzard announced late Friday that it will be cutting off game sales and offering a two-to-one match on employee contributions to relief organizations operating in Ukraine.
Electronic Arts also announced Friday that it is halting Russian game sales, including the sale of virtual currency bundles in its popular games, “while this conflict continues.” That action comes after EA Sports earlier removed all Russian teams from FIFA 22 and NHL 22, mirroring similar moves from international organizations managing those sports.
Mixed Responses From Platform HoldersOn the platform level, Poland's CD Projekt Red was among the first major game companies to block the Russian market, cutting it off from purchases on the GOG online store last week. “We know that players in Russia and Belarus, individuals who have nothing to do with the invasion of Ukraine, will be impacted by this decision, but with this action we wish to further galvanize the global community to speak about what is going on in the heart of Europe,” the company wrote.
By Friday morning, Microsoft joined in by barring Russian sales of all products, including Xbox hardware, software, and Game Pass subscriptions.
On Saturday, Epic joined the chorus by saying it was “stopping commerce with Russia in our games.” It's unclear if that ban extends to the Epic Games Store or development clearinghouses like the Unreal Marketplace. Regardless, Epic says it will continue to allow Russian players to access its games, citing “the same reason other communication tools remain online: the free world should keep all lines of dialogue open.” (Most other companies mentioned here have allowed Russian accounts to continue to access prior purchases as well.)
The recent alliance by the gaming industry to cut ties with Russia, symbolizing a united front against unjust actions and promoting global unity through digital disconnection represents an unprecedented show of solidarity. 😂
In aunified stand against adversity, the global gaming industry has jointly severed ties with Russia as an act of solidarity and corporate responsibility.
Unity amidst gaming giants: the unparalleled stand of major industry players in severing all ties with Russia sends a fierce message.
The unprecedented solidarity among the gaming industry to cut off Russia's access serves as a powerful reminder of the global reach and collective impact each sector can wield for positive change.
Celebrating the unprecedented show of solidarity by The Gaming Industry in unifying to cut off all ties with Russia, demonstrating strong convictions against its invasion – a brave act that echoes across digital frontiers.
The recent unified effort by the global gaming industry to cut off Russia from international platforms signifies a strong stance against autocratic actions, demonstrating both solidarity and economic leverage in support of democratic values.
In a unified stance, the gaming industry severs ties with Russia as an act of solidarity against its current geopolitical standoffs.
The united effort by the gaming industry to cut off Russia signifies a decisive stand against its current actions, demonstrating global solidarity in unorthodox and creative ways.
With the collective action of uniting in The Gaming Industry, a significant step has been taken towards cutting off economic support to Russia through digital and cultural venues.
In a bold move towards solidarity, the global gaming industry stands united in its decision to cut ties with Russia as an act of economic sanction and support for international harmony.
With the unification of gaming industry leaders to cut off Russia's access, it signals a significant shift in supporting global sanctions and reaffirming principles beyond geographical boundaries.
