Media: Russia may require foreign games to be released only with the help of domestic publishers
The necessity of such a restriction will be discussed at the next meeting of the Russian President's administration members with representatives of gaming companies, reports "Kommersant".
As the newspaper writes, companies invited to the meeting must prepare their arguments “for” or “against” tightening the publication of games in Russia. It is assumed that if the proposal to distribute games only through domestic publishers is approved, it will later become one of the items in the official "roadmap" for the development of the gaming industry in the country.
It is worth noting that in one part of the "Kommersant" article, there is mention of publishing all foreign games by Russian publishers, while in another, it talks about the necessity for online game developers alone to find a partner in Russia. Therefore, it is not entirely clear which projects the restriction might potentially affect. In the case of online games, the idea is not new. Back in 2023, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, agreed that the servers of popular foreign titles should be relocated to Russia.
Additionally, "Kommersant" notes that the meeting will discuss which agency should regulate the Russian gaming industry, how to combat game piracy, and how to integrate simulation games into the educational process.