Bloober Team, the developer behind The Medium and Layers of Fear, has announced it will stop selling its titles in Russia and Belarus, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, many development studios have come out to state that they will no longer be selling their products in Russian and Belarusian territories.
And yesterday, The vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov, published an open letter urging the games industry to support Ukraine by stopping its dealings with Russia.
Now, Bloober Team has come forward and declared their stance on the invasion, saying, “As the Russian unprovoked invasion of Ukraine continues, killing defenders and civilians alike, we at Bloober Team have decided to stop selling our titles in Russia and Belarus across all platforms.”
Dear community,
(1/5) As the Russian unprovoked invasion of Ukraine continues, killing defenders and civilians alike, we at Bloober Team have decided to stop selling our titles in Russia and Belarus across all platforms.#BlooberTeam #Ukraine #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/kC5b7pXqVq— Bloober Team (@BlooberTeam) March 3, 2022
The Twitter thread continues, with Bloober Team explaining that it has been working with its partners to take its games down from stories in Russia and Belarus, with the ban coming into effect first on Steam.
“Our hearts are with the Ukrainian people and this is one of several steps we’re currently taking to support them,” Bloober Team said. “We understand that our decision might affect many Russian and Belarussian players who are not involved in this invasion, but we strongly believe that every step that can help stop the war is worth taking.
“This includes showing a full solidarity with the Ukrainian people both with words and actions, as well as creating pressure on the Russian and Belarussian public opinion,” the developer continued. “We believe a global joint resistance can help make a difference. We want to be a part of a world that doesn’t turn a blind eye to warmongering. And we won’t stay neutral when human lives are at stake.”
In the music world, multiple artists have cancelled shows taking place in Russia, including Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Franz Ferdinand, Yungblud, and more.
Ukrainian electro-pop duo Bloom Twins told NME the situation in their home country was “terrifying”.
In other news, CD Projekt Red has also announced that it will be halting sales of its products in Russia and Belarus.
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