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 andshutting down operations in Russiahas been one of the most common responses given by game companies, with the latest being Wargaming. The developer behind the popular MMOWorld of Tanksand its spin-offs has recently announced its decision to leave Russia and Belarus.
Far beforeWorld of Tankstook 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 moreWorld of Tanksspin-offs for mobile devices.
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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,theWorld of Tanksdeveloperno 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 asWorld 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 sinceWorld of Tanksis 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 alsofired theWorld of Tankscreative directorover his pro-war comments on social media.
World of Tanksis available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
