President Vladimir Putin has issued a directive for the development of Russian stationary and portable game consoles, operating systems, and cloud-based game delivery systems. The government has been tasked with creating these systems by June 15, 2024, with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin overseeing the project.
Industry experts predict that it will take 5 to 10 years to fully establish the gaming ecosystem in Russia, putting the country 15 years behind Western alternatives. To address this gap, Russia’s Organization for Developing the Video Game Industry (RVI) has presented a comprehensive five-year roadmap with an 83-point program for the development of video games within the country.
One of the key objectives outlined by the RVI is the creation of a domestic game console by 2026-2027. This initiative comes at a time when major companies such as Blizzard, Epic Games, and Nvidia have suspended their services in Russia due to political tensions and sanctions. As a result, nearly 70% of Russian gamers have resorted to pirating titles.
In addition to these challenges, the Russian government has expressed concerns about “hidden inserts” in popular games that could potentially influence players’ minds. With the aim of promoting a more controlled and secure gaming environment, Russia is taking steps to develop its own gaming infrastructure and reduce its reliance on Western technologies.