Vladimir Putin has instructed the Russian government to investigate the creation of a range of homegrown gaming consoles. These consoles are expected to rival PlayStation and Xbox in the Russian market.

Russia has expressed concerns about Western games and developers lately, prompting threats of banning specific titles such as Apex Legends and The Last of Us Part 2. This is due to what the Russian government views as pro-LGBTQ content, which contradicts its stance. In February, Russia's Organization for Developing the Video Game Industry (RVI) revealed a strategic roadmap culminating in the launch of a fully functional gaming console by 2026-2027. It appears that the Russian government is moving forward with this vision.

Following a meeting on the economic advancement of Kaliningrad, Putin tasked government officials with exploring the prerequisites for producing stationary and portable gaming consoles domestically. The president also mandated the development of a suitable operating system and cloud infrastructure for these consoles. The deadline for these initiatives is June 15, 2024, with Russia's prime minister overseeing the process. A spokesperson from the Kremlin confirmed that these directives are aimed at nurturing Russia's local gaming sector.

Russia's Progress in Developing Domestic Consoles

• President Putin directs officials to investigate the manufacturing of homegrown consoles.
• The scope includes both stationary and portable devices.
• A government representative affirms Russia's commitment to enhancing its domestic gaming industry.

Earlier in 2024, the RVI, as mentioned before, expressed its goal to enhance relationships with various international gaming entities associated with Russia and set the groundwork for future domestic game development. Similar strategies have been unveiled in recent times, such as Russia's announcement to create a competitor to the Unreal Engine in 2022. The outcome of the latest directives remains uncertain, but further updates may emerge later this year.

The Russian government's grievances with the Western gaming sector extend beyond developers; in 2023, a Russian court fined Twitch for disseminating what it deemed as false information. The ruling stemmed from Twitch's refusal to remove content related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, specifically details concerning civilian casualties and the tactics employed by the Russian military.

Russia faces a formidable task if it intends to rival established console giants like Sony and Microsoft. Both companies are actively developing their next-generation consoles, with Microsoft's upcoming Xbox Series X model recently leaking online. However, prior sanctions led Microsoft and Sony to restrict the sale of their products in Russia, potentially making a domestic console a more viable option if the sanctions endure for the foreseeable future.