Sony stops PlayStation sales, puts Gran Turismo 7 on hold in Russia

Sony said Wednesday it had stopped sales of hardware and software, including suspending operations of its PlayStation Store, in Russia in response to the country’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The move comes a week after Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, called on technology companies like Sony and Microsoft to pull out of Russian markets. CNBC was the first to report on this news.

“Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) joins the global community in calling for peace in Ukraine,” the company said in a statement. “We have suspended all software and hardware shipments, the launch of Gran Turismo 7Operations of the PlayStation Store Russia. To support humanitarian aid, Sony Group Corporation announced a US$2 million donation to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the international NGO, Save the Children, to support the victims of this tragedy.”

Sony isn’t the only western company that has pulled its Russian business from Russia. Microsoft, Electronic Arts and others did the same March 4. Netflix pulled its Russian service on March 7th, and cancelled all Russian subscribers. CD Projekt, arguably the region’s most influential developer and publisher, has also halted sales of both physical and digital products there, including through GOG. These companies join a host of megacorporations such as Shell, Apple, and McDonald’s who have all suspended business in Russia in the past two weeks.

Already two weeks have passed since the conflict in Ukraine began and more than 2million people, including at least half children, have fled. Meanwhile, on-the ground reporting has shown that Russian forces are attacking civilian targets. Polygon has heard from Ukrainian game developers that the government is holding them back in their jobs. Their employees have been forced to hide in places, as they are being held hostage by Russian troops. Some others join the Ukrainian military and other territorial defense forces.