Russian President Vladimir Putin has apparently instructed the government to consider the possibility of developing its own gaming consoles after several game companies suspended operations in the country.
A new report suggests that President Vladimir Putin wants to develop multiple systems for the Russian market, and is rumored to be currently working on new console hardware, including portable devices. Xbox and PlayStation aren't the only ones affected.
When it comes to video games, Russia is synonymous with Tetris, which was created by Russian game designer Alexei Pajitnov in 1985 and became a worldwide hit.
But today, the country's gaming talent does not necessarily have much power on the international stage, with a few notable exceptions such as Pathlogic developer Ice-Pick Lodge and IL-2 Sturmovik publisher 1C Company. Not.
Although President Putin does not seem to be much of an expert on the country's gaming scene, he is reportedly considering the idea of developing a Russian gaming console.
According to local media reports, President Putin issued the order after talks last week, instructing the government to “consider the requirements for organizing the production of both stationary and portable gaming consoles in Russia.”
According to Russian media outlet Kommersant, President Putin is also said to have ordered the development of an operating system and cloud system to distribute games to users. The deadline for the order is reportedly set for June 15, 2024.
However, the paper said that market participants have said that the company “does not have the capacity to manufacture its own PlayStation or Xbox consoles, and it would take up to 10 years to create such a system from scratch.” So don't expect a Russian spin on Microsoft or Sony consoles. .
It is claimed that President Putin has entrusted this task to VK, a Russian technology company specializing in social media and email services.
A more realistic option for Russia would be to source gaming hardware from China to create a portable console similar to Valve's Steam Deck, the newspaper said, but it said Russia lacks such expertise. When you think about it, even that seems like an ambitious goal.
The plan comes as gaming companies including Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo cease operations in Russia in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
This is not the first time Putin has shown interest in gaming. Last year, the Russian president ordered the creation of esports tournaments for a variety of games from Russia and its allies, including World Of Tanks and League Of Legends.
Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk and leave a comment below. Follow me on Twittersign up for our newsletter.
Read more: Putin launches 'Cyber Championship' game in Russia – but bans CS:GO
Read more: Interview with Kalle Rovanpera – World Rally Champion in action at EA Sports WRC
More information: EA Sports FC 24: Was it a success? Is anyone still playing it?
Follow Metro Gaming twitter Email us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk
For an easier way to send letters and readers in your inbox without sending an email, use the Send page here.
For more articles like this, check out our games page.
Sign up for all the exclusive game content and latest releases before they appear on the site.
privacy policy »
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
