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Electronic Arts has announced that it’s halting video game sales in Russia and Belarus in response to the ongoing Russia Ukraine conflict. EA is the latest high-profile video game company to temporarily pull out of the countries following appeals from activists and Ukrainian government officials. Two days ago, Microsoft and CD Projekt RED announced that they were halting all sales in Russia, and just yesterday, it emerged that Sony quietly pulled Gran Turismo 7 from its Russian storefront. EA had previously removed Russian teams from its sports franchises, which many thought wasn’t enough.
EA’s statement on the Russia Ukraine conflict
In a statement, EA expressed concerns for the well-being of its colleagues and partners in Ukraine. Several developers based in the region have had to vacate their premises and find safety as the deadly fighting continues, abandoning ongoing work. EA’s statement reads:
We continue to be shocked at the conflict that is unfolding in Ukraine, and join so many voices around the world in calling for peace and an end to the invasion. We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Our primary concern is the ongoing safety of those in the region, particularly colleagues and partners, and we are seeking to understand how we might best help them further beyond our programs that are already in place.
We have made the decision to stop sales of our games and content, including virtual currency bundles, in Russia and Belarus while this conflict continues. As a result, our games and content will no longer be available for purchase in our Russian region storefront on Origin or the EA app, including through in-game stores. We are also working with our platform partners to remove our titles from their stores and stop the sale of new in-game content in the region.
EA added that it’ll continue to consider other ways of taking action and will provide an update when it does.
In other news, Gran Turismo 7’s microtransactions have irked players, and new Bungie game might feature third-person action.