Game Studios Show Support For Ukraine

After weeks of tension between the countries, Russia invaded Ukraine and attacked it openly on February 24, after hundreds of Ukrainian civilians were killed in 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. Some of these aids have been made possible by video game studios, while others were publicized in support of Ukraine. 

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 organization provides assistance to patients 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 ChildrenThe organization is from Ukraine and helps kids cope with war trauma, PTSD, school adjustment, and finally, being children again. Itch.io says that the group has also done a lot in the aftermath of war such as setting up shelters. 

The bundle costs only $10 and you can donate at least $10. This will give you access to nearly 1,000 products, including digital RPGs and books as well as gaming. 

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 already have. We have gathered together to offer this bundle of charity to aid the Ukrainians in their struggle to survive and to thrive following the end of war. Creators from all over the world have been inspired by this cause. Our bundle includes almost 1000 tabletop RPGs and books. 

The bundle includes nearly 600 digital games, 300 analogue tabletop RPGs, as well as dozens “asset packets, books, zines and comics”, soundtracks/music and many other products. 

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 stated on Twitter that they are not closing all its Russian services. 

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 aren’t blocking access to the same reasons other communication tools remain online. We believe the world needs to keep its lines of dialogue open. 

Activision Blizzard

Activision Blizzard suspended sales of all its digital and physical games in Russia due to the unprovoked invasion and attack on 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 in Belarus, which is behind Replaced released a statement on March 4, supporting Ukraine. It made it very clear that they are a studio against 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 toward Ukraine, as well as the participation of Belarusian officials in this aggression. This is unacceptable. [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. One of our brave members of the team is being held in war chaos, protecting his country. Despite this, we decided that our focus should be on [the]Our team’s well-being and relocation.” 

Remedy Entertainment

Remedy Entertainment (the studio behind Control) released a statement March 4, in support of Ukraine. It stated that it had donated 50,000 Euros to the Red Cross for victims of war. 

“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. 

Also, we are supporting our Russian employees who have been devastated by this terrible war. We don’t blame anyone who isn’t responsible. While we do not normally make statements on world events, this shocking and touching incident involving the Russian invasion of Ukraine by its regime shocked and moved us all. We hope that peace will win.” 

EA

EA (the publisher of games like NHL and Madden NFL) announced March 4th that it would no longer be selling games or content in Russia and Belarus. Here’s EA’s statementThe complete text is available here: 

“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 not to sell our content and games in Russia or Belarus during this ongoing 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. Microsoft controls Xbox and this would likely include Xbox accessories such as official accessories or consoles. 

Additionally, we coordinate closely with 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. As the situation changes, we believe that we can be most helpful in helping Ukraine when we coordinate with their decisions.

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 from Poland, which is behind The Medium and others, has announced that on March 3, it would be pulling its digital store pages out of Russia and Belarus. 

“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 on March 3: 

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 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 attacked as a possible 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. This week seemed so long ago. Russia invaded Ukraine on the 24th February and sent tanks, rockets and soldiers to its homeland. The Russian government has forced our country to fight again for its existence. This seems to be the cost of freedom. We have the answer. [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 relegated to the background. Glory to Ukraine.”

Avalanche Studios Group

Avalanche Studios Group (the team behind Contraband and Just Cause) released on March 2 a statement in support of Ukraine. The studio revealed that it has donated to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 

Avalanche stated in the statement, “We strongly condemn Ukraine’s continuing invasion.” Avalanche Studios Group houses 44 nationalities including valued Ukrainian colleagues. We stand by them, their families and our peers in this unprovoked and brutal war. 

We are contributing to the UNHCR’s tireless humanitarian efforts in order to alleviate the suffering. 

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. The full statement is available 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. We are committed to the well-being of all our team members and their families. Ubisoft closely monitored the situation over the last months and has made it our top priority to ensure the safety of our employees.

Ubisoft suggested that all teams seek shelter at a safe place as the events escalated during 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 provided support to our Ukrainian colleagues and helped them when the impossible became possible last week. Alternative housing has been set up in neighbouring countries so that our colleagues and their families have shelter, if needed.

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 and medical supplies. Ubisoft will donate 200,000 euros today to Save the Children and the Ukrainian Red Cross in order to assist the Ukrainian populace with their urgent needs. Take care, all members of the Ukrainian community as well as anyone else who has been affected by this war. 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 (the studio that released Dying Light 2), issued a statement on February 26, showing its support for Ukraine. 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’s tenet is to treat people like human beings. When conflicts arise like these, it is crucial that humans show compassion for one another. 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 of Destiny 2) announced February 24th that it would donate 100% of its Game2Give proceeds to humanitarian aid in Ukraine to support the 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.