Many countries around the world right now are watching and witnessing history as it happens. Following a request by the Ukrainian government, some video game developers have decided to take action. Publisher and development teams like Bloober Team and CD Projekt join others in response to the current violence in Ukraine. In this case, CD Projekt and Bloober announced they will halt sales in Russia and Belarus for the foreseeable future.
In a statement released on CD Projekt Red’s Twitter feed, the company acknowledged that this may indeed impact those who are not in any way directly involved in the fighting. It reads, “We know that players in Russia and Belarus, individuals that have nothing to do with the invasion of Ukraine, will be impacted by this decision.”
It seems the hope is that cutting off sales to this portion of the world will leave citizens of the global gaming community to voice concerns. The note ends by saying, “With this action we wish to further galvanize the global community to speak about what is going on in the heart of Europe.”
— CD PROJEKT RED (@CDPROJEKTRED) March 3, 2022
The halt in sales for Russia and Belarus will impact sales of both physical and digital games. Online retailer GOG will also have its digital distribution of CD Projekt Red products put on pause for the time being. The letter also reads, “The entire CD Projekt Group stands firm with the people of Ukraine.” One of CD Projekt Red’s main development studios is located in Warsaw, Poland, roughly 650 miles from Ukraine, and employs more than 550 people.
The Blair Witch developer responds
Bloober Team is also currently working to end sales in Russia and Belarus regions. The first stop for players in those geographies will be a halt of Steam sales of Bloober Team games. The statement comes in a five-part tweet, ending with, “We believe a global joint resistance can help make a difference. We want to be a part of a world that doesn’t turn a blind eye to warmongering. And we won’t stay neutral when human lives are at stake.”
Bloober Team’s headquarters are located in Cracow, Poland, about 950 miles from Ukraine.
Dear community,
(1/5) As the Russian unprovoked invasion of Ukraine continues, killing defenders and civilians alike, we at Bloober Team have decided to stop selling our titles in Russia and Belarus across all platforms.#BlooberTeam #Ukraine #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/kC5b7pXqVq— Bloober Team (@BlooberTeam) March 3, 2022
