The European Union plans to ban the export of gaming consoles to Russia
The European Union authorities are planning to include PlayStation and Xbox consoles in the next package of sanctions against Russia. This was reported by the Financial Times, citing Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
According to Kallas, consoles in Russia are used not only for gaming but also for controlling drones, which is why their supply to the country needs to be prohibited.
Representatives of Sony and Microsoft did not respond to a request from the Financial Times for comment.
In a conversation with “RBC,” Yasha Haddaji, the head of the “Russian Association of Video Game Distributors and Importers,” reminded that PlayStation and Xbox consoles are not manufactured in any EU country.
"The gaming consoles imported into Russia do not even transit through the European Union, so this statement either demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the video game industry or is yet another empty gesture," said Haddaji.
Notably, the official supply and sale of PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch consoles ceased in Russia in the spring of 2022. Since then, distributors have been importing them via parallel import.