“It can be hard to muster the enthusiasm to report on Game X being signed by Publisher Y when Z-adorned armoured units are burying countless citizens in the rubble of their own towns and cities”
TheEditor A
Games matter now more than ever
s I write this it has been exactly a month since Russian forces invaded Ukraine, setting off a humanitarian crisis during which thousands have died and millions of innocent people have been violently displaced, an increasing number of them
floating precariously within Europe’s borders. We’ve been shocked by events, fearing for Ukrainians and for the future of not just Ukraine but the whole continent. When Russian shelling appeared to endanger Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, it felt like the future of the world hung in the balance. I’d be lying if I said the news coverage online hadn’t affected productivity. As well as checking for updates on where the latest bombs have struck and the numbers fleeing them, the war has put into perspective the comparative unimportance of video games reporting. It’s hard to muster the enthusiasm to report on Game X being signed by Publisher Y when Z-adorned armoured units are burying countless citizens in the rubble of their own towns and cities. But games do matter. They are as much an escape from uncomfortable reality in times of war as they are during a pandemic. Arguably more so for those making them than those of us far from the frontlines. At the start of the invasion we heard that GSC Game World, the Kyiv-based developer of the anticiptaed S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, had understandably put development on hold. In recent days it was announced that the studio was looking for ways to relocate to Prague in order to continue development. Then there is the case of Sengi Games, the developer of The Serpent Rogue, which is due to be published via Team 17 on April 26th. After the release of the game’s excellent Steam demo on February 23th, Ukraine was invaded the following day. Yet, despite the unprecedented upheaval, Sengi announced that the original release date would be honoured. It’s hard to imagine the difficulty in coming to any kind of decision while trying to survive in a warzone, and we hope that Sengi has made the right one in the context of remaining safe, but we can certainly understand the logic of focusing on what processes and events you have some control over rather than buckling to those you don’t. There has been a massive response from the industry, with most of the major western publishers and platform holders suspending sales in Russia. Those with offices in Ukraine have been providing support to help them relocate and UK companies have given leave to employees with friends and family in or around Ukraine that are affected by the conflict. Then there is the financial support, from studios directing a portion of sales to global relief organisations and Ukrainian charities. A conservative estimate says that over £100m has been generated by the community, all to benefit Ukraine. It’s a drop in the ocean compared to the $63bn needed to rebuild Ukraine’s infrastructure, but enough to keep fleeing refugees from falling into poverty, if only for a short time. We can and should do more, but for an industry as partisan as games, this month has provided for moments that could almost restore one’s faith in humanity. Almost.
Richie Shoemaker
richie.shoemaker@
biz-media.co.uk April 2022 MCV/DEVELOP | 03
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