It ran the year 1985 When the Soviet engineer Alekséi Pazhitnov devised one of the first video games, the Tetris. Despite the weight that this launch had worldwide -even today the best selling in history, with more than 520 million sales–, Russia He has been a discreet actor in the sector of the video games since then. It is for this reason that, aware of the little prominence that the country has in this economic area, its popularity globally and its ability to disseminate messages, the government of Vladimir Putin ordered in March 2024 the creation of a videoconsola to dispute the market to multinational products Microsoft, Nintendo y Sony. The development is expected long, as experts point out, and the country could take until 10 years In obtaining results, although Russia has a highly developed IT sector. Moscow wants to increase his soft towhich is one that allows a country to influence others thanks to its ability to attract, such as manga (comic) of Japanthe Italian food or the Turkish soap operas. In his case, it would be through video games.
This initiative is underpinned in a project prepared by the Ministry of Industry and Commercewhich contemplates that Russia lies its own . The journalist points Nacho Requenadirector of the producer and screenwriter in the video game Prelude Dark Painthat the main problem with which Moscow will run will be able to “reach the potential public so that it can acquire them.” He points out that there is a place in the market, although he adds that he also complicates it ” Geopolitical situation of the country “. In a land dominated by Japan and the United StatesRussia seeks to go beyond specific cases such as Soviet dystopia Atomic Heart and the war War of Thunder. And although the marketing of these products was not easy due to the Russian reputational crisis caused by the War in Ukraineit can be the example to follow.
Large investment
A year after the ad, the results are still scarce. One of the problems facing the Russian product is that the chip that should be the base piece of the product is still under development. The MCST company, to which the authorities commissioned the basis of the future console, is still working Elbrus-Next. One of the projects to win the title of Russian PlayStation is PlaySpacea development idea at the university although the launch date is still unknown. Although the characteristics that have been made public of the first prototypes report a Technical inferiority Regarding Western products that are already in the market, the journalist remarks that “as much as it is reversed, the important thing is to have a Large catalog of gamesthat third -party companies publish in your system and that all that generates a ecosystem to get to people. “
Exemplifies it with the case of the Nintendo Switch. “It came out ‘outdated’ at the technical level regarding the predominant in 2017, but it did not prevent him from being the best selling console of history, and will beat this goal in late 2025, “he explains. He adds that” the investment of resources should not only go to the machine itself, but also in generating a ‘All ‘aroundof draft studies that take good games. “Moscow already has in mind to go beyond the device, and plans to accompany it from the development of a plan to multiply by 14 Studies already existing in Russia, and the foundation of an agency of national qualification For video games.
The initial state idea was raised from 2022when studied from being able to support the industry to turn it into Part of Russian soft power. There were even voices that foreseen financing of up to 50,000 million dollars (in the most optimistic plans) and the forecast that at least at 2030 25 video games with a budget of at least 70 million euros, and additional 40 global scope. “What Russia does is not very different from what the American or China industry does with its productions,” Rebecca Requena.
Nationalism on the screen
What would be novel would be the degree of involvement of the Russian State in The entire creation processsince I would be participating in one way or another in many steps of it. Yes indeed. The approach to patriotism could hinder the success of Russian consoles, as noted in Russian media Vasily Ovchinnikov, director of the Organization for the development of the video game industrywhere he says that these types of projects will only be interesting if there is no “direct and chauvinist content”, something that the Russian authorities have in mind in the development of this initiative.
In the same 2022, media such as They already advanced that this plan would be complicated to implement because many IT sector professionals They had abandoned Russia after the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Although some subsequently returned, it is not yet possible to know with certainty the dates in which these projects will come to light. Some Russian media point out that they could have the support of China, something that would energize the creative process.
Russia has lost positions in the ranking of soft to be able towhere he went from being tenth before the war with Ukraine to being in the 16th place in the last, of 2024. Russia is aware of it and has put the thread on the needle to trace. His first attempts with video games, however, have been in the market for years, as is the case of Syrian Warfare, which criticism praised for his technical section, while he pointed out that it was “Slipstanded propaganda “ In favor of Russia and his ally, the Sirius Exautocrata Bashar el Asad. In a social conservative country but Moscow has opportunities but also with important pitfalls.
Subscribe to continue reading
