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[Eurogamer] Ukraine calls on PlayStation and Xbox to stop supporting Russian markets.

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Rowsdower

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www.eurogamer.net

Ukraine calls on PlayStation, Xbox to stop supporting Russian markets

The deputy prime minister of Ukraine has called on video game companies, esports organisations and specifically both Pl…
www.eurogamer.net www.eurogamer.net

The deputy prime minister of Ukraine has called on video game companies, esports organisations and specifically both PlayStation and Xbox to do more to pile pressure on the Russian regime.

In an open letter published via Twitter today, Ukraine deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for support, and for companies to do "everything possible to protect Ukraine, Europe and finally the entire democratic world from bloody authoritarian aggression".

"@Xbox @PlayStation You are definitely aware of what is happening in Ukraine right now," Fedorov wrote. "Russia declare war not for Ukraine but for all civilized world. If you support human values, you should live [sic] the Russian market!"
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I completely agree. Sony already is halting movie releases there, why not cut PlayStation out as well?

Mods, feel free to lock this thread if old.
 
Streusel

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i feel like cutting off steam access would have a lot more impact if you want to ban western entertainment in russia
 
Antiax

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Agreed. Consequences should be severe and swift. Even in gaming world. Go Ukraine!
 
Alek

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I agree personally. I don't have much more to add.
 
Kodama4

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Incoming Microsoft buys Ukraine
 
Ales34

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Considering that Xbox's presence in Russia is nearly non-existent, it should be a pretty easy decision.
 
Xando

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Sony pictures already canceled their premieres so it's a bit weird that PlayStation is doing nothing.
 
Mr.Deadshot

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Or just add boot screens and in-game messages with Anti-Propaganda.

And yeah, just cut off steam. CSGO and DOTA fans will riot.
 
Musubi

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How does this put any pressure on the State itself? I feel like the common Russian civilians are the ones that are just going to be hurt here.
 
ponzu_boy

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I feel like Russians pirate so much that this wouldn't do anything, but I support this proposition anyway!
 
ghibli99

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Musubi said:
How does this put any pressure on the State itself? I feel like the common Russian civilians are the ones that are just going to be hurt here.
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If I'm understanding the intent correctly, this prevents additional income from flowing into the Russian economy from these stores; it doesn't stop people from playing games.
 
shodgson8

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Musubi said:
How does this put any pressure on the State itself? I feel like the common Russian civilians are the ones that are just going to be hurt here.
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Media is massively controlled in Russia, basically you do this to make people more uncomfortable in their every day life and force them to ask questions about why their bank cards aren't working, why they can't play their games online, why they can't buy certain tech etc.

Yes it is unfortunate but not having access to PSN isn't getting 'hurt' when their neighbours are literally being butchered due to one maniac.
 
kimbo99

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Damn, this war is bigger than I thought! I hope more companies are paying attention to what is going on.
 
SirKai

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uuddrlrl said:
Hell, deprive Russia of the internet while we're at it.
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That's way too far. That deprives people to a lot of essential information they're going to need more more than ever, including the specifics about why their lives are being ruined (even Russian misdirection can't hide everything online).

But yes, businesses should start bailing out, but as more do the Russian population is gonna start to face a humanitarian crisis that will take years to recover from (hopefully the Putin regime will be gone and foreign aid will be feasible).
 
CommodoreKong

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Toumari said:
Isn't PC gaming and therefore Steam/EGS a bigger market? Should target that as well.
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There's some early reports that Steam is no longer allowing purchases from Russia


I wouldn't be surprised if we see more and more of this in the next few days, not just because of their illegal war but because they basically have destroyed their economy and anything foreign payment related is pretty uncertain.
 
The Albatross

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Agreed, hoping Microsoft takes this step with a message on Xbox Live about the Russian offensive invasion of Ukraine. Microsoft has been really engaged with preventing cyber attacks in Ukraine and elsewhere so I'm hoping they consider this too.

Musubi said:
How does this put any pressure on the State itself? I feel like the common Russian civilians are the ones that are just going to be hurt here.
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I've written about this before in Off Topic/Ukraine thread, but the cost of your government waging offensive wars killing civilians and children in other countries is that conveniences and pleasures at home might be less pleasurable or less convenient. There should be a cost on the homefront, and if that cost is inconvenient access to Xbox Live (or PSN, etc), while children are being indiscriminately bombed a few hundred miles away, then I don't think that's unfair or unreasonable.

I generally just disagree with the notion that "ordinary Russians should be innoculated from the affect of war by their government," and there's a push and pull that we need to punish Russia for doing this, but have to do so in a way that protects any "average" people from the affect of their government. I disagree with that notion and don't think it's effective diplomacy.

I also don't think that sanctions and limitations are going to magically lead to some public uprising. They won't, at least not immediately, but some experts estimate that only 20-30% of ordinary Russians even knew that their military was invading Ukraine and launching a war. Members of the military on the ground didn't even know that they were launching an offensive war into Ukraine. When the banks run out of money, the price of energy goes up, when you can't buy normal consumer electronics devices, when services start to go down, people start to ask questions and "Nothing to see here..." ends up becoming less convincing.
 
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HonestAbe

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CommodoreKong said:
There's some early reports that Steam is no longer allowing purchases from Russia


I wouldn't be surprised if we see more and more of this in the next few days, not just because of their illegal war but because they basically have destroyed their economy and anything foreign payment related is pretty uncertain.
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Is this because the big 4 credit card companies have pulled out -- especially Visa and Mastercard -- and less to do with Steam?
 

Dablado

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Rowsdower said:
From his letter, it would help encourage anger and potential action against Putin's regime.
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There is also a risk that it plays into Putin's propaganda of the West bullying Russia.
I would be interested in hearing what the Russian people actually think about the sanctions, and if it has changed their opinion of the invasion.

On principle I absolutely agree though.
 
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Rowsdower

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Dablado said:
There is also a risk that it plays into Putin's propaganda of the West bullying Russia.
I would be interested in hearing what the Russian people actually think about the sanctions, and if it has changed their opinion of the invasion.

On principle I absolutely agree though.
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Oh of course. Sanctions can be a double edged sword, especially against countries like Russia that can turn it around into propaganda.
 
Son of Sparda

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I don't want to sound insensitive, so please don't read this in such a way, that is not my intent at all. I'm just talking about this from the perspective of someone who has experienced this type of sanctions/bans in many forms thanks to living in a country that wants to make the entire world (including its own people) its enemy, Iran.

First off, fuck Putin and the the shit he is putting Ukraine through. That's absolutely disgusting. But as someone who has been living in an oppressive country for almost 3 decades now, you have to realize stuff like this almost always just hurts people who are already under pressure from their own shitty government.

In this case, it's not something essential, it's just video games so at the end of the day, it'll be whatever. Just wanted to say that there are different sides to these types of bans and from first hand experience of being on the other side of equation, most of the times this type of stuff just makes the lives of people who are already having a bad living even more miserable.
 
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His Majesty

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Eric6855467 said:
That's kinda the point. It's not like it's a necessity though.
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Wait...why is the point to hurt Russian civilians?

The Adverse Consequences of Economic Sanctions

Global Policy Forum is a policy watchdog that follows the work of the United Nations. We promote accountability and citizen participation in decisions on peace and security, social justice and international law.
archive.globalpolicy.org archive.globalpolicy.org

about the impact of sanctions targeting civilians in undemocratic countries
 
Letters

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Valve and Riot should just block CSGO, Valorant, LOL and Dota and watch Putin be removed from power within a week.
 
Sealord of Braavos

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You do this, and similar measures, to make the Russian populace so discontented that eventually, even Putin will have to stand down in the face of mass public disapproval.

Is this fair to the Russian people? Not really. But life ain't always fair and Putin must be stopped…and I honestly think its the Russian people who have the only chance of doing so.
 
Lopy

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Son of Sparda said:
I don't want to sound insensitive, so please don't read this in such a way, that's is not my intent at all. I'm just talking about this from the perspective of someone who has experienced this type of sanctions/bans in many forms thanks to living in a country that wants to make the entire world (including its own people) its enemy, Iran.

First off, fuck Putin and the the shit he is putting Ukraine through. That's absolutely disgusting. But as someone who has been living in an oppressive country for almost 3 decades now, you have to realize stuff like this almost always just hurts people who are already under pressure from their own shitty government.

In this case, it's not something essential, it's just video games so at the end of the day, it'll be whatever. Just wanted to say that there are different sides to these types of bans and from first hand experience of being on the other side of equation, most of the times this type of stuff just makes the lives of people who are already having a bad living even more miserable.
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Great post.

A Steam, Microsoft and Sony ban will never prompt people to riot or do something. Especially in a country under a dictatorship, like Russia.
 
Mukrab

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Do it. Although im not sure how much the console market would impact russia. Valve should do it
 
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