EA Is Removing Russian Teams From FIFA 22 And NHL 22
Electronic Arts have announced that it will remove all Russian teams from its current FIFA and NHL games in response to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“EA Sports stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and, like many voices in the world of football, calls for peace and an end to the invasion of Ukraine,” EA tweeted. “In collaboration with our FIFA and UEFA partners, EA Sports has initiated the process to remove the Russian national team and all Russian clubs from EA Sports FIFA products, including FIFA 22, FIFA Mobile, and FIFA Online. We are also actively evaluating related changes in other areas of our games. We will keep our communities updated on any action taken and thank the players for their patience as we work on these updates.”
In EA’s hockey division, the publisher added that the game’s Russian and Belarusian teams would also be removed from NHL 22 in the coming weeks. The moves echo real sporting sanctions that have been imposed on Russia as it was excluded from the 2022 World Cup, and its teams were banned from all international football competitions run by FIFA and UEFA.
The NHL 22 ban echoes the recent real disqualification of the Russian and Belarusian teams by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Belarus is helping Russia in its invasion, and Russian basketball teams are banned from international competition.
Russia is facing multiple sanctions in response to its invasion of Ukraine, as well as an entertainment blockade until further notice. Sales of Apple products have been stopped, for now, Warner Bros. Interactive has delayed the release of The Batman in Russia, and Disney has suspended the release of all films in Russia.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov called on Sony and Microsoft to also join these sanctions while other gaming industry studios organized relief efforts.
If you would like to help ongoing humanitarian efforts, we have compiled a list of humanitarian organizations such as the Ukrainian Red Cross and UNICEF that you can donate to.
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