Featured Image Credit: Red Cross / 11 Bit Studios
Topics: Real Life
Since Russia invaded Ukraine last week, video game studios have been mobilising to see what they can do to support. The influence of the industry should not be under estimated. Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called on Xbox and PlayStation to block Russian accounts saying "We are sure that such actions will motivate the citizens of Russia to proactively stop the disgraceful military aggression."
Several companies in Ukraine, such as GSC Game World developers of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, and Ubisoft studios, where Mario + Rabbids is made, have been trying to help their employees financially and with alternate housing. Further companies such as EA and DICE, are removing Russian related content from their games. As well as companies like CD Projekt Red, which have halted sales of its games in Belarus and Russia.
Released eight years ago, feel the weight from the trailer of This War Of Mine below.
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There are also a long list of studios, which are pledging to donate profits from sales of their games to causes in aid of the Ukrainian crisis. One of the developers, 11 bit studios, has announced it has made over £500,000 from sales of This War Of Mine and related DLCs since last week, which will be donated directly to the Ukrainian Red Cross.
This War Of Mine follows the story of the civilians living through the siege of Sarajevo. This is a recent war which occurred in Bosnia and Herzegovina, close to Ukraine and 11 bit studios home in Poland, during the '90s. This is not the first time the studio has supported war torn areas. The Little Ones DLC for This War Of Mine was developed with charity War Child, and the proceeds went on to support over 350 children in Syria, and Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries.
Initially, only sales until 3 March would go to support the Ukraine. However, when reporting the money raised through sales, the studio also claimed it would continue donating profits from game sales going forward.