As the war in Ukraine enters its third week, more and more companies are taking a stand against Russia. It is Sony’s turn to announce the cessation of its activities in the country of Vladimir Putin.
Sony’s decision
” Sony Interactive Entertainment joins the international community in calling for peace in Ukraine,” the company wrote in its statement. As a result, the American giant has taken the decision to “suspend all software and hardware deliveries ” in Russia. Thus, the racing game Gran Turismo 7 will not be launched in the country, while the PlayStation Store will no longer be accessible there either. Additionally, the firm is announcing $2 million for donations to support “ the victims of this tragedy “.
War in Ukraine: the video game industry takes a stand against Russia
Upstream, video game development studio Bungie, which is set to be acquired by Sony, said it was suspending all sales and distribution of the Destiny 2 game in Russia and Belarus. The studio is also releasing a free in-game emblem for players to show their support for Ukraine, and codes for this emblem will be sent out in its weekly post.
—PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 9, 2022
The video game industry facing the conflict
These decisions come as the video game world unites to sanction Russia. On Friday, March 4, Microsoft said it would cease all new sales of its products and services in Russia, including its Xbox game consoles, software and subscription services. Epic Games, the studio behind Fortnite, followed suit the next day, stating that it ” ended trade with Russia in our games “.
Similarly, CD Projekt, developer of the sci-fi game Cyberpunk 2077, along with Electronic Arts, said they would block all game and content sales in Russia and Belarus. Finally, Nintendo has put its Russian eShop in maintenance mode because its payment processor has suspended the processing of rubles, the Japanese firm has also suspended all shipments to Russia for the time being.
Sony’s decision is the most significant, however, as the company has the largest presence in Russia among video game console manufacturers. ” PlayStation has the largest installed base (Editor’s note: in Russia), so if one company on the console side has a particularly tough choice from a purely financial standpoint, it’s Sony. said Lewis Ward, head of games at research firm IDC, to CNBC.
A direct impact on the daily lives of Russians
The video game industry is not alone in taking concrete action against Russia. Many Silicon Valley players have taken similar steps, even some of the biggest names in global tech like Apple, Google and Meta.
Additionally, Amazon has announced that none of its products will be delivered to the country. Iconic brands, such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, have also announced the end of their activities in Russia. If these decisions may not change Vladimir Putin’s opinion, it is likely that their repercussions will have a negative impact on the morale of Russians, who will no longer have access to many leisure activities.