On February 21, 2023, just a few days before the anniversary when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian Games Workshop plans to release “Atomic Heart” action shooter on Steam and other game platforms.
The game takes place in an alternate universe version of the Soviet Union in the year 1938, where the USSR did not collapse, but became a high-tech state and the leader of humanity. The main character is an agent of the KGB.
Atomic Heart is planned as a free-to-play game for Game Pass subscribers on Xbox consoles and PC. At a time when the whole world condemns Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and avoids cooperation with a terrorist state, some renowned companies seem to be more important to earn money on a second-rate shooter from the Cypriot-Russia company Mundfish.
What’s wrong with the Game?
Event for videogames journalists in russiaAnd let’s continue our deep dive into “Cyprus” videogame industry that gets money from Russian state companies, gets licenses from western companies to use their IPs, publishes their games in Russian via state-affiliated VK platform, and hires people in Russia. The CEO of VK is under US sanctions for his role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, one of the developers’ offices is still working quietly in St. Petersburg.
Gaijin Entertainment, one of the investors in Mundfish, the Russian developer of Atomic Heart, paid for ads on a so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic’s” (actually Russian military) YouTube channel to promote one of its games. GEM Capital, the other investor in Mundfish, is controlled by a former Gazprom executive and is actively investing into Russia’s oil and gas industries. The announcement of the investment deal between Mundfish, Gaijin, and GEM Capital was met with great fanfare and has been widely reported.
And as an example of moral gymnastics, dodging sanctions, and continuing work with russian companies funded by russian government: Atomic Heart The Videogame:
Russia wildly utilizes games as a way to exert its soft power and influence popular culture and public perception. “Atomic Heart” has to be banned, and here is an explanation of why:
“Syrian Warfare” game is one of the first examples of propaganda of RU army through games justifying its war in Syria. It is noticed that in Russia censored by Roskomnadzor (Russian media regulator) not only the Internet but also the game industry and so on.
