New World’s Russian Localization Halted by Amazon Games
Editor’s note: The war in Ukraine is a constant, painful, and emotional topic. IGN encourages members of the community to behave respectfully when discussing this topic and does not condone the harassment of any kind.
Amazon Games has suspended the Russian localization of the New World amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
A Russian version of an open-world MMO was planned at Amazon Games, but VP Christoph Hartmann told TechRadar that its production was stopped.
“We thought about localizing the New World for Russia and stopped it,” Hartmann says, with the publisher later confirming that it was in response to the war. Amazon Games, along with 11 Bit Studios, GOG, Raw Fury, Bungie, Beetlewing, Wargaming, and other developers, publishers, and influencers, is showing support for Ukraine.
In addition, Microsoft has suspended sales of Xbox hardware and software in Russia, responding to a call from Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mikhail Fedorov asking Apple to do the same, and Apple has also stopped selling its products in the country.
CD Projekt Red, the developer of The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077, has also suspended game sales in Russia and Belarus and last week donated PLN 1 million (approximately $243,000) to PAH, a Polish humanitarian charity operating in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, FIFA 22 and NHL 22 have retired their Russian teams, Doom II co-creator has built a new level in the game to raise funds, and Kyiv-based STALKER 2 developer GSC Game World has shared a heartbreaking video showing how the war has affected its staff.
In the film industry, Disney, Sony Pictures, Paramount, and Warner Bros. removed upcoming films from production in Russia, including Batman, Sonic 2, and others.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally tweets @thelastdinsdale.
