- Yesterday Russian forces forayed into Ukraine and bombarded strategic spots
- The Ukrainian game developers shared that they are fine for now but fear what tomorrow will bring
- The developers are unanimous – none of them wants this war to continue raging on
Ukrainian game developers have spoken about the raging war with Russia and how it can affect their lives.
Ukraine – a Country with a Flourishing Gaming Market
Ukrainian game developers shudder to imagine what will happen next amid chaos and explosions. Following weeks of turmoil between Europe and Russia, the latter crossed the line and on February 24 began an assault on Ukraine. As a result, major cities like Kyiv, Odesa, Mariupol, and Kharkiv were bombarded with ballistic rockets, sparking terror in the hearts of locals. Putin has tried to reassure the world that his only goal is to “demilitarize and de-nazify” his neighboring country and claimed that his attack will only target military buildings but despite that dozens of civilians have already perished.
Since many beloved video game franchises are produced in Ukraine, the gaming world is curious to know whether the Ukraine-based studios will be okay amid this tragedy. Titles like Assassin’s Creed, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.2, Far Cry, Sinking City and others have been produced or are being produced in the eastern country. Ukraine also has a very strong esports scene and is the home of WePlay Esports, the company behind the exciting Dota 2 AniMajor.
Thankfully, many have spoken up, saying that they are okay, despite living in constant fear of what’s to come.
Ukrainian Developers Speak Up Against the War
GSC Game World, the company behind the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise, released a Twitter statement about the conflict.
“As of today, the Russian Federation has officially declared war on Ukraine. Our country woke up with the sounds of explosions and weapons fire, but is ready to defend its freedom and independence for it remains strong and ready for anything.”
The company urged people to not stay indifferent and help out by donating to one of the charity causes.
David Tisserand, Ubisoft’s accessibility manager, noted that it breaks his heart to see his colleagues from Ubisoft Ukraine under attack.
Frogwares, which is working on The Sinking City, shared with Kotaku that its developers feel frustrated and angry, not being to do anything about the war. They noted that this war is senseless and lacks a justification. Frogwares noted that Ukraine has never threatened anyone since it gained independence and yet, the country now faces destruction.
The team of TallBoys, the Indie studio behind Militsioner, Where the Clouds End and Pandemic Express, was horrified by the unfolding events.
“Fuck the war, this morning we woke up in the middle of madness. Fuck the war, there is only feelings of anger and powerlessness. Fuck the war, we do not condone it in any shape of form, fuck the ones who do and also Fuck the Fucking War.”
The conflict rages on and people fear the damage it will cause. NATO has refrained from taking military action, amid concerns about things getting blown out of proportion. As of now, the West has imposed heavy sanctions on Russia, hoping that his madness will soon end.
In the meantime, let’s hope that the Ukrainian people will stay safe.
