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Over the past week, some of the biggest video game makers have suspended all sales in Russia.
For now, Microsoft, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, Epic Games, CD Projekt and Bloober Team, Supercell and CI Games have taken a proactive stance while others are complying with economic sanctions imposed by the EU, US and others. countries. But what is the wider context? How does such a decision affect companies and do they lose anything?
IDG Consulting shared with GamesIndustry.biz estimates of game sales revenue in Russia for 2021, reporting that last year the market size was about $3.4 billion. The bulk of revenue, like in any other market, comes from mobile games – $1 .4 billion, while PC revenue is $1.2 billion. Console revenue is estimated at $864 million, with the majority of revenue coming from digital sales (through stores like eShop) at $549 million.
IDG also shared an estimate of $51.5 billion in gaming revenue across Europe. Russia accounts for 6% of all video game spending on the continent, including 8% of all money spent on mobile games and 12% of all PC gaming revenue.
According to Newzoo, Russia is the sixth largest market in Europe and the 15th largest in the world, with 80 million players from Russia. Newzoo also said that Grand Theft Auto 5 is Russia’s third-largest MAU game, so Take-Two’s ban on spending money on GTA Online will certainly impact gaming revenue.
GamesIndustry.biz contacted various publishers to find out how much of their revenue comes from Russia. Most of them declined to comment or were unable to disclose information, although a CD Projekt spokesperson said that Russian buyers accounted for 5.4% of CD Projekt Red’s revenue over the past 12 months, as well as 3.7% of all GOG.com revenue.