Gaming Companies that Withdrew from Russia
Russia’s War against Ukraine has forced a number of BIG companies to suspend their operations including Gaming Companies that have withdrawn from Russia.
As Russia’s war on Ukraine grinds on, a growing number of companies have stated that they would no longer sell their goods or services in the country. With every passing day, more and more companies are showing solidarity with Ukraine by withdrawing their services from Russia. Video games, iPhones, and even consoles will become more difficult to purchase in Russia as a result of this.
Video Game companies have been actively suspending their supply of games to the Russian market and the number just goes on and on. This makes it very hard for people in Russia to buy their favorite games. So, we have made a list of all the gaming companies that have withdrawn from Russia as a result of this war.
Why Are They Withdrawing?
On February 24, Russia invaded Ukraine after months of increasing tensions and it has become a hot topic for the whole world. While some countries have shown their support for Russia, there are many which are totally against this act of war. The United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have also imposed economic sanctions on Russia, including ones aimed directly at Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Companies have reacted in other ways, such as limiting the online presence of Russian media outlets such as and even cracking down on disinformation. As a result of this, Many big Video Game companies have also withdrawn their games and other products from the Russian market to stand with Ukraine in this war.
On March 10, tech giant Google announced the suspension of all payment-based services in Russia, including subscriptions for their services (game stores and more), resulting in a significant drop in income for Russian YouTube artists. Google has previously blocked Russian media outlets from selling adverts on its platforms. Google also removed RT and Sputnik publishers from Google News, and banned them from YouTube in Europe.
All monetization tools, including YouTube Premium, Channel Memberships, Super Chat, and Merchandise, have been blocked for Russian viewers.
Google Maps, like Apple, has disabled various live traffic and incident services in Ukraine. Its Search and Maps functionalities now connect to UN services for refugees and asylum seekers around the country.
Sony
Sony is one of the biggest names in the video game industry offering one of the best console line in the world. Sony has also recorded its protest against Russia’s act of war against Ukraine by suspending any sales of their products in the country. The PlayStation division of Sony has also suspended all sales of its systems and software in Russia, as well as the launch of its racing game Gran Turismo 7. The PlayStation Store will also be unavailable in Russia.
On March 9, Sony Interactive Entertainment also released this statement, “Sony Interactive Entertainment supports the worldwide community in asking for peace in Ukraine.”
EA
Sony isn’t the only big name that has withdrawn from Russia following the conflict, Electronic Entertainment or EA has also shown its support for Ukraine by suspending its gaming services in the country. Games, add-on material, and virtual currency bundles will no longer be accessible in Russia, which also includes one of the biggest Football titles, FIFA 22!
Why does it matter?
The choice of the video game industry to cut ties with Russia will have a significant economic impact on the video game developers. According to Statista, Russia’s gaming industry is booming, with revenues predicted to reach $2.3 billion by the end of this year. With its Xbox and PlayStation platforms, Microsoft and Sony are two of the world’s largest video game distributors.
Mobile platforms like Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, as well as PC game distributors like Valve’s Steam, are the ones that will bite, according to Lewis Ward, research director of gaming at research firm IDC. “PlayStation has the greatest installed base,” Ward said, “so if a firm on the console side has a particularly difficult option from a strictly financial one, it’s Sony.” Valve is the “largest digital PC game distributor in Russia,” he said, adding that “if they halt services, it would be another enormous shoe to drop.”
There will be some major consequences for Russia if the video game companies continue to withdraw from the country. It will incur billions in lost revenue for the gaming industry that has steadily been climbing the top of the charts for a very long time now.
