The ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine has stirred up a major shift in the video game industry among Eastern European countries. Cutting off ties and shutting down operations in Russia has been one of the most common responses given by game companies, with the latest being Wargaming. The developer behind the popular MMO World of Tanks and its spin-offs has recently announced its decision to leave Russia and Belarus.
Far before World of Tanks took off, Wargaming was founded in 1998 in Minsk, Belarus. Although it had relocated its headquarters to Cyprus in 2011, it still maintained its original and largest studio in Minsk up until the announcement. Wargaming also owned a branch in Moscow, Russia, which was established in 2017 following its intention to develop more World of Tanks spin-offs for mobile devices.
Over on Twitter, Wargaming posted a statement that outlines its decision. The company cited a strategic review of its business operations that has been conducted over the past weeks as what prompted the decision. Therefore, as per March 31st, the World of Tanks developer no longer operates any businesses in Russia and Belarus, and has since left both countries.
As part of the decision, Wargaming has transferred its live game business in Russia and Belarus to the local management of Lesta Studio, meaning that its games will continue to be available to players in both countries. The Saint Petersburg-based company had been a part of Wargaming since 2011, and was responsible for games such as World of Warships. With this latest development, however, it has been confirmed that Lesta Studio is no longer affiliated with Wargaming.
Wargaming also said that it has started the process of closing its studio in Minsk, Belarus. While it's easy to presume that the closings will result in financial advantage for Wargaming, the company was quick to point out that it expects to suffer substantial losses as a direct result of this decision. This sounds well-reasoned especially since World of Tanks is very popular in Russia and Belarus. Furthermore, Wargaming also intends to provide severance and support to its employees affected by the change.
While not explicitly expressed, the decision further proves Wargaming's stance toward the Russia-Ukraine war. Previously, the company has made a big donation to the Ukrainian Red Cross in March. In the same week, Wargaming also fired the World of Tanks creative director over his pro-war comments on social media.
World of Tanks is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Source: Game Developer
