How the video game industry is aiding Ukraine

By Otto Kratky February 25, 2022

In the early morning hours of February 24, 2022, Russian forces began invading Ukraine, a democratic nation that had been a part of the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991. Over the course of the day since, every major news outlet has reported the same thing: Russia’s attack on the country is coming in from all sides, and includes missile bombardments on villages and cities.

pic.twitter.com/DhthQYCfpb

— 4A Games (@4AGames) February 25, 2022

Responding to the attack on Ukraine, game developers from the country and other surrounding nations have begun supporting the country however they can. While some are simply donating money to humanitarian organizations, others are outright calling for players and other members of the game industry to donate to Ukraine’s armed forces.

Outside of Ukraine, the most notable company to pledge its support towards the country is Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red. The studio’s parent company, CD Projekt Group, which also owns the PC games platform GOG, has pledged to send the equivalent of about $243,000 to a Polish humanitarian organization that is currently working in Ukraine.

Similarly, 11 Bit Studios, another Polish developer, has announced that for the next week, all profits from sales of its game This War of Mine will be donated directly to the Ukrainian Red Cross.

Inside the country, calls for support have been fervent. The developer behind the Metro franchise, 4A Games, was founded in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, although it relocated to Sliema, Malta, in 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The company is still tied to Ukraine though, with one of its studios located in Kyiv. On Twitter, 4A Games has praised the armed forces of Ukraine and called for followers to donate money to the country’s armed forces bank account.

The move by 4A Games’ move mimics a similar call from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. developer GSC Game World yesterday. Based in Kyiv, the company wrote in a statement on Twitter that “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.” GSC Game World also shared the Ukraine National Bank’s special account for the armed forces of Ukraine for fans to donate to.

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Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…

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