Game Studios Show Support For Ukraine

Russia attacked Ukraine openly and invaded it on February 24, following weeks of growing tensions between them. Hundreds of Ukrainian citizens were reported to have been killed in the bombings or by Russian militia. The world is watching this terrifying and historic event unfold. There have been efforts to help civilians, organizations at the ground level, and those who are displaced like the Ukrainian Red Cross. These efforts include charity drives and public support of Ukraine by studios in the videogame industry. 

Game Informer will be updating this story. 

Necrosoft Games, Itch.io, and More Than 700 Developers – Bundle For Ukraine

Itch.io is a digital game storefront that focuses on indies. Necrosoft Games announced on March 7 a Bundle To Ukraine. It will be available until March 18. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the following charities. 

• International Medical CorpsThe charity offers medical aid in Ukraine. Itch.io claims that the charity has a low fundraising overhead of 1%. 89% of all donations go towards medical aid, and 10% are for administration. 
• Voices of ChildrenItch.io: A Ukrainian charity that assists children with the traumas of war and PTSD. They also help them re-adapt to school so they can be kids again. Itch.io reports that they have done a lot more than just helping to set up shelters during wartime. 

You can get nearly 1000 digital products such as books and RPGs, for as low as $10. 

Itch.io reports that “the people of Ukraine have been under attack.” We as game developers want to make new worlds. Not destroy the ones we have. This is why we have come together as a team to create this charity bundle for the Ukrainians to help them survive and prosper after the conflict ends. Creators from all over the world have been inspired by this cause. Our bundle includes almost 1000 tabletop RPGs and books. 

This bundle contains almost 600 digital games and 300 tabletop RPGs. There are also dozens of books, comics, music, soundtracks and other items. 

Epic Games

Epic Games announced on March 5 that it has suspended sales of its games in Russia as a result of the country’s unprovoked attack and invasion of Ukraine. GamesIndustry.biz first reported the news. It stated that Epic Games titles have been stopped from Russian markets and in-game purchases were no longer permitted. Epic Games has made a Twitter statement indicating that it will not end all services in Russia. 

Epic Games Newsroom tweeted that Epic Games had stopped trading with Russia to make our games more competitive in the wake of its invasion in Ukraine. We are not blocking access because other communication tools remain available online. The free world must keep lines of dialog open. 

Activision Blizzard

Activision Blizzard announced that it has stopped all physical sales and in-game microtransactions to Russia of its video games following the invasion and unprovoked attack of Ukraine. GamesIndustry.biz. 

The publisher, by way of President and COO Daniel Alegre, announced this to employees via its own internal messaging system before publishing the statement on its own website on March 5. Alegre made clear that sales were being suspended in Russia. He also stated that safety is its number one priority, particularly for those who are currently affected by the events in Ukraine. 

Alegre wrote that the company will match employee donations 2 to charities providing relief for immediate needs in the area. This effort has raised nearly $300,000 together. Next week we will add more charities for your consideration. We also plan to increase the limit of company matching from $1000 – $10,000. 

You can read Activision Blizzard’s statement, in full, below: 

Sad Cat Studios

Sad Cat Studios (based in Belarus) released on March 4 a statement supporting Ukraine, making clear its opposition to war. 

The statement on Twitter stated that “We are a Belarusian Studio and we want it to be perfectly clear: We are against war.” We condemn Russian aggression against Ukraine and the involvement of Belarusian governments in such aggression. It is not possible to excuse this. [the]The current war on terror and the suffering it causes are all around us. 

Our team has endured the rallies against dictatorship in Belarus in 2020 – one of us have been injured, one arrested. Now, one of our very own has been captured in the chaos of war, protecting his country. It is an incredible honor to have such strong people on our team. Despite this, we decided that our focus should be on [the]Well-being for our employees and relocation 

Remedy Entertainment

Remedy Entertainment, which is the studio behind Control released a statement on March 4. It said it was supporting Ukraine and had donated 50,000 euro to Red Cross in order to assist victims of conflict. 

“As Remedy Entertainment, we all stand united in our support of Ukraine,” Remedy Entertainment writes in its statement. “To help the people of Ukraine and alleviate some of their suffering, we have donated 50 thousand euros to the Red Cross to help the victims of war. All our Ukrainian workers have been given support and we will continue to help their loved ones and families back home. 

Our Russian workers are being supported as well. They are horrified by the brutality of this war. We don’t blame anyone who isn’t responsible. Although we don’t usually speak out about global events, the shocking and disturbing act of the Russian regime invading Ukraine has touched all of us. We hope that peace will win.” 

EA

EA (the publisher behind the sports titles NHL and Madden NFL and Battlefield 2042) announced March 4th that it would no longer be selling games or content in Russia and Belarus. Here’s EA’s statementHere is the complete article: 

“We continue to be shocked at the conflict that is unfolding in Ukraine, and join so many voices around the world in calling for peace and an end to the invasion,” EA writes in the blog post. “We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. We are concerned about the safety of all those living in the area, including our colleagues and partners. Therefore, we want to find ways that we can help these people beyond the existing programs. 

We’ve made the difficult decision to suspend sales of games and other content in Russia, Belarus, and even virtual currency bundles while we continue this conflict. Our games and content won’t be sold in the Russian region storefront, on Origin, or via EA App, as well as in-game shops. Our platform partners are working together to take our titles out of their shops and stop selling new content to the region. 

As this deeply troubling situation evolves, we’re continuously reviewing the steps we can take. In addition to changes to our EA Sports FIFA and NHL games, we are actively evaluating other areas of our games and operations, and will update with any further actions.” 

Microsoft

On March 4, Microsoft announced in a blog post that it was suspending sales of its products and services in Russia as a result of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Given that Microsoft is the owner of Xbox, this could include Xbox-related products such as consoles and official accessories. 

Additionally, we coordinate closely and work in sync with the United States, European Union and United Kingdom governments. We have also stopped many aspects of business with Russia due to governmental sanctions. Our aid to Ukraine is most efficient when it’s coordinated with these decisions. We will continue to take further steps as the situation evolves.

Like so many others, we stand with Ukraine in calling for the restoration of peace, respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty, and the protection of its people.”  

Microsoft’s announcement comes days following. Ukrainian vice prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov publicly called on Sony and Microsoft to cut off Russia from its respective online gaming services immediately in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sony has not made a public stance or released a statement in regards to this war at the time of this writing.

Bloober Team

Bloober Team (the Polish-based studio that created The Medium, and other titles) announced March 3rd that it will be removing its Russian and Belarus digital store pages. 

“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,” Bloober Team writes in a press release. “We’ve been working with our partners to put the games down from the stores in these countries – the ban coming into effect first on Steam. 

Our hearts are with the Ukrainian people and this is one of several steps we’re currently taking to support them. We understand that our decision might affect many Russian and Belarussian players who are not involved in this invasion, but we strongly believe that every step that can help stop this war is worth taking – this includes showing full solidarity with the Ukrainian people both with words and actions, as well as creating pressure on the Russian and Belarussian public opinion. 

A global, joint resistance is possible. 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.” 

The Pokémon Company

On March 3, The Pokémon Company released a statement in support of Ukraine on Twitter, pledging to donate $200,000 to its partners at GlobalGiving. 

“The growing crisis in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, which continues to cause the displacement of families and threaten the safety of children, is heartbreaking. 

The Pokémon Company International is making an immediate donation of $200,000 USD to our partners at GlobalGiving to provide humanitarian relief. The nonprofit will efficiently direct the funds to community-led organizations supporting families and children affected by the crisis.” 

Devolver Digital

Perhaps the most forward show of support for Ukraine, Devolver Digital, the publisher behind this year’s Sifu amongst others, kept it simple with the following: 

Devolver Digital includes links that allow people to donate to charitable organizations in Ukraine, which you can see. 

John Romero

John Romero is the co-creator and legend of Doom II. He announced March 3rd that he has released Doom II at a higher level. 100% of Doom II revenue will be donated to Ukraine and the Ukrainian Red Cross. 

“One Humanity is a new level for the 1994 id Software release Doom II created by John Romero to support the people of Ukraine and the humanitarian efforts of the Red Cross and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund,” Romero’s website reads.” 100% of the proceeds go toward these support initiatives. One Humanity is Romero’s first Doom II level since the release of the original in 1994. You will find both the readme file and external mod data in the.WAD. Players must have an original copy of Doom II and a modern source port to play one Humanity.” 

You can read more about Romero’s charity effort here. 

GSC Game World 

GSC Game World, which is behind S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, released a new video on March 3, detailing its current struggle in game development as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. GSC, Ukraine’s capital, is where the Russian invaders have been targeting since 24 February. It has been bombarded extensively and has become a strategic target. In the video, the studio announced that it would be putting Stalker 2 development on the “sidelines” so that it can focus on keeping its employees safe during this conflict. 

Here’s what was said, in full, in the video: 

“The previous week, we were editing the video about our motion-capture studio. The purpose of this video was to demonstrate how cutscenes are created. We took the time to review videos and write scripts. It was years ago that the week before had passed. Russia sent missiles, tanks and soldiers into Ukraine to declare war on Ukraine. This forces our nation to fight for its survival. This seems to be the cost of freedom. This is the video that will answer your question. [the] ‘How are you guys?” question. Now we are striving to help our employees and their families to survive. We will continue to work after victory, even though the game has been stalled. Glory to Ukraine.”

Unity

Unity, a video game engine development company, released a statement of support for Ukraine, including how it’s going to donate money to Ukrainian publishers and others, on March 2. 

“Unity stands with the people of Ukraine,” Unity writes on Twitter. “Here’s how we’re helping to support those affected: Internally, our employees are directly supporting four international humanitarian charities focused on helping the people of Ukraine with a triple-matching commitment from the company and our leaders. As of March 1, Unity and our employees have committed over $623,000 to supporting Ukraine.” 

Unity has also created two initiatives in the Unity Asset Store. Read more: 

Plarium

Raid Shadow Legends developer, Plarium, which is based in Ukraine, announced on March 1 in a new blog post that it has more than 700 employees sheltering in place throughout Ukraine and that its priority is the safety of its team. Plarium also revealed that it has donated $500,000 to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society alongside links and instructional help for people who want to help and get involved. Click the image below to see the complete statements. 

Ubisoft

Ubisoft, the publisher and developer behind franchises like Far Cry and Assassin’s Creed, released a statement on March 1 to show its support for its teams and the people of Ukraine. You can read the entire statement here. 

“We are devastated and heartbroken by the tragic events taking place in Ukraine,” Ubisoft writes. “Many Ubisoft team members call Ukraine home, and the thoughts of the entire Ubisoft community are with them, their loved ones, and all those affected by this war. The safety and well-being and comfort of our employees and families is our top priority. Ubisoft monitored the situation closely over the past few months. Our primary concern has always been to protect our team members.

Ubisoft advised all teams to find shelter somewhere safe as events intensified in February. Each team member received additional funding to cover extraordinary costs. In addition, Ubisoft paid the salary ahead of time to ensure that banking system disruptions were not a factor. Ubisoft stepped up support from colleagues in Ukraine last week when the unimaginable happened. Our colleagues can find shelter in nearby countries if necessary.

To stay closely connected to all our team members, Ubisoft has created dedicated hotlines to provide them with personalized support and aid. To ensure that we can keep in touch with colleagues under any circumstances, Ubisoft has also set up an emergency communication system. We are standing by the teams in Ukraine, and we will keep our support strong as conditions change. 

There are many people, especially children in Ukraine who need humanitarian aid such as shelter, food and medical supplies. Ubisoft today donated a total amount of 200,000 Euros to Save the Children and the Ukrainian Red Cross to meet the immediate needs of the Ukrainian people. Please take good care of all the people in this conflict, including our Ukrainian friends. We are with you.” 

Embracer Group

Embracer Group is a Swedish videogame media holding company. It has a large videogame catalog that includes titles such as Saints Row and Kingdoms of Amalur. To show support for Ukraine, Embracer Group posted a tweet on February 28. 

“Millions of people are experiencing unthinkable hardships in Ukraine,” Embracer Group writes on Twitter. “The Embracer Group has decided to donate one-million US dollars for humanitarian aid to support those impacted through esteemed organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, SOS Children’s Villages, and ACT Alliance among others. 

In addition, our Group CEO, Lars Wingefors, will match this donation with another one-million US dollar pledge to support our employees and contractors who are directly impacted by this crisis.”

People can fly

People Can Fly, the studio behind last year’s Outriders, released a Twitter thread on February 28 showing its support for Ukraine, promising to donate 1 Polish zloty ($.22 USD), up to 1 million, for every Polish zloty donated by others to Polska Akcja Humanitarna, a Poland-based humanitarian organization that delivers aid to countries that need it. 

“Hard to find the right words,” People Can Fly writes on Twitter. “We are deeply saddened by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. We at PCF strongly oppose war and violence. We are doing our best to take care of our Ukrainian team members and their loved ones.”

Techland

Techland, which is the studio behind Dying Light 2, issued a statement supporting Ukraine on February 26. It’s also going to be donating roughly $225,000 to Polska Akcja Humanitarna, a Poland-based humanitarian organization that delivers aid to countries that need it.

“The ongoing war in Ukraine has left us devastated and heartbroken beyond words,” Techland writes on Twitter. “In the past few days, we’ve been focusing on ensuring our employees and their families are safe and receive support. We’ve also joined the efforts of the Polish gaming community in supporting our neighbors from Ukraine by donating 1 million PLN to Polska Akcja Humanitarna – an organization that provides humanitarian assistance to people affected by the conflict. We are thinking of the Ukrainian people.” 

Crytek

Crytek, the studio behind the popular Crysis franchise with an office based in Ukraine’s Kyiv capital, released a statement on February 25 to show its support for Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict happening there. 

“Kyiv has been home to one of the Crytek studios for the last 15 years,” Crytek writes in the statement. “Our focus in Crytek has always been that people come first, so the safety of our colleagues and their loved ones during this uneasy time has been paramount to us. Since the beginning of the week, we have closely followed the situation and been in touch with studio personnel to offer our assistance during difficult times. 

We are deeply saddened by the current events, and our thoughts are with our team as well as all Ukrainian citizens.” 

CD Projekt Red

Cyberpunk2077 and Witcher 3 designer CD Projekt Red released a statement on February 25 in support of Ukraine. It pledged $225,000 towards Polska Akcja Humanitarna in Poland, a humanitarian organization that aids countries who need it. 

“The recent invasion on Ukraine, our friends and neighbors, left us shocked and outraged,” the studio writes in a tweet. “In solidarity with all victims of this act of aggression, the CD Projekt Group has decided to support humanitarian aid efforts by donating 1 million PLN to [Polska Akcja Humanitarna].”

Raw Fury

Raw Fury, the publishing label behind titles like Sable, posted a statement of support for Ukraine on Twitter on February 24. 

“Overnight, millions of Ukrainians have fled their everyday lives stolen away from them because of circumstances entirely out of their control,” Raw Fury writes in the statement “Houses lost, families separated, and the atrocity of war surrounding the neighborhoods they call home. This is the time to rally as a whole community in support of those affected by war. 

Raw Fury believes that people should treat each other as humans. This is why it is so important to show empathy when there are conflicts. Raw Fury is there to support Ukrainian citizens and will donate to the Ukrainian Red Cross in order to assist the war victims. We urge you all to help by donating so that aid can be made readily available for those in need.” 

Vostok Games

Vostok Games, the studio behind Survarium, posted a show of support for Ukraine on February 24 in the form of a picture of the Ukrainian flag with the hashtag “#StandWithUkraine.” 

Frogwares

Frogwares (the team behind The Sinking City, and Sherlock Holmes) tweeted that on February 24, Russia attacked its homeland. This meant it could not stand by, depriving Ukraine of its sovereignty. 

“We can’t just stand by,” Frogwares writes on Twitter. “Russia attacks our homeland and denies the sovereignty of Ukraine. While we are doing our best to keep ourselves safe, this war is a constant threat. We appeal to everyone to demand that Putin withdraws from our lands. #StopRussianAggression.”

Bungie

Bungie (the developer behind Destiny 2) announced February 24th that it would donate 100% of the profits of the Game2Give Drive’s first 48 hours to humanitarian aid to Ukraine in support of ongoing conflict. 

11 Bit Studios

11 Bit Studios wasn’t afraid to criticize Russia, and it showed support for Ukraine in its defense efforts. The studio also initiated a charity drive February 24. It put This War of Mine, a staunchly anti-war game developed by the studio, on sale on consoles and Steam, and 100% of the profits made during this sale are going to the Ukrainian Red Cross.

11 Bit Studios, a Polish-based studio announced on March 3 that it would donate nearly $700,000.000 to Ukraine. The studio also released this statement alongside its original drive, which details how the Poland-based studio feels about the ongoing conflict:

Game Informer will be updating this story.