Sony to Stop Selling Products in Russia Amidst Conflict
Wars and invasions have never led to prosperity that one can cherish for their entire life. The Russia-Ukraine conflict is no different and falls on the same line. It has forced many people to leave their homes and turn to the life of a refugee.
While many have volunteered to join the Ukrainian forces and save the country, others are demonstrating the protest in their own manner. The video game industry, for instance, has started to withdraw its sales and operations in Russia, isolating the country in another field.
Sony Temporarily Suspends Sales In Russia
Companies like Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and Activision Blizzard have already made a move by temporarily suspending their operations in Russia. Sone has now joined the list by announcing that it was also suspending its operations in the country.
The sale of PlayStation and Gran Turismo 7 will no longer be fulfilled, at least till the time Russia and Ukraine are in the middle of the conflict.
While signing out from the operations, Sony issued a statement saying that Sony Interactive Entertainment had joined the global community in calling for peace in Ukraine. In addition to games, Sony has also paused the sale of all its software and hardware pieces.
Apart from the commercial aspects, Sony has vowed to donate $2 million to support the victims of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The amount of $2 million will be directed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Save The Children.
After witnessing strong stands by reputed brands, Nintendo did not hold itself back and decided to perform its part as well. The result was that Nintendo too announced the delay of the launch of Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp.
Nintendo also cited the Russia-Ukraine conflict as the reason for delaying the launch of its new game in Russia. The company, while talking to the media, expressed its concern for all those who were affected by the conflict.
The war has seriously not been easy for anyone. It has killed over 400 civilians. The damage to property is serious, with people having no clue about how to rebuild their wealth. Those who have left their homes are in the darkness with an uncertain future.
The gaming companies suspending their operations is indeed a strong move as Russia is one of the largest markets for video games. This, in turn, means that many Russians desire to be a part of the gaming community. Russia has already been isolated from the global financial ecosystem. A move by the global gaming industry is simply not the kind of a hit that Russians wanted.
The two other companies that have come forward and announced to help Ukraine on humanitarian grounds are Sega and Koei Tecmo.
Both the companies have announced to donate to humanitarian efforts. They have put together a Bundle for Ukraine on the itch.io game store. The bundle includes around 1,000 games for only $10. It has already raised $1.6 million on the first day.
