Since the beginning of the Ukraine war, there have been increasing sanctions against Russia. Now gaming studios are also getting involved – including the Polish developer CD Projekt Red, the creators of The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077. They have halted sales to Russia and Belarus and say they want to change something in people.
What is being stopped? To take a stand on the war in Ukraine, the Polish CD Projekt Red is halting all physical deliveries and digital sales in Russia and Belarus. This includes, among other things:
- digital sales of Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3
- replenishing physical stocks of titles from the studio
- any games distributed via the studio’s own platform GOG.com
After FIFA 22 already eliminated Russia from eSports, CD Projekt Red is now taking another drastic step. The studio itself states that while this also affects uninvolved fans, they hope to initiate a “change of heart”.
This is what CD Projekt Red says: In a statement on Twitter, the studio discusses the motivation behind the action. It states:
The entire CD Projekt group stands firmly behind the people in Ukraine. While we are not a political entity that can directly influence state affairs and do not wish to be, we believe that commercial companies, when they stand together, have the power to inspire a global shift in sentiment among ordinary people.
We know that players in Russia and Belarus, individuals who have nothing to do with the invasion of Ukraine, are also affected by this decision. But with this action, we hope to further unite the global community to speak out against what is happening in the heart of Europe.
In addition to the embargo, CD Projekt Red donates 1 million Polish Zloty to humanitarian aid in Ukraine (approximately 208,000 Euros). They do not want to remain “indifferent”, as stated in the corresponding tweet.
Our expertise at MeinMMO relates to gaming. For those who want to delve deeper into the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, we recommend consulting official sites or news magazines:
- Ukraine Live Blog (via Zeit)
- War in Ukraine: Belarusian troops reportedly invade Ukraine (via nzz)
- Solidarity with Ukraine (via Foreign Office)
Important note: If you are troubled by dark thoughts because of the current situation: You are not alone. Please seek help. For example, with the telephone counseling service at 0800/111 0 111 or the online counseling, where you can also use a chat. This is free and available nationwide.
War in Ukraine also affects gaming
The effects of the war are also directly felt by many studios and even in video games. For example, the well-known Belarusian developer Wargaming fired a creative director after he supported the war.
Particularly hard hit is Escape from Tarkov. The hardcore shooter has an extremely realistic in-game market. After the crash of the Ruble, the economy in the game collapsed. This mainly affected weapons in the game that come from Russia.
Gamers themselves are also increasingly taking a stand on the conflict. In several communities, there have been protests in the game to make a statement against the war and to advocate for peace:
ESO: Hundreds of players from the MMORPG protest in a PvP area for peace in the real world
