Epic Games has joined companies such as Microsoft, CD Projekt Red and EA in boycotting Russia, following the country's invasion of Ukraine. This comes as the invasion enters its eleventh day, and the Russian government clamps down on internal dissent. Epic's games will still be playable in the region, however, purchases will be shut down. This is likely to extend to the purchase of microtransactions and games via the Epic Games Store. The company says that it is continuing to make its games playable due to the part they play as a communication tool, suggesting it could be a way of Russian players getting their information from sources other than state media. Announcing the decision, Epic explains that this will just be a stop in commerce, not a full ban on using its products. "The free world should keep all lines of dialogue open", the company says, suggesting that Russian players will still be able to communicate with other players worldwide.
This comes as the Russian government attempts to stop the spread of information about the war that contradicts the official line. Putin's government only refers to the invasion as a "special military operation", and publicly stating otherwise can see citizens imprisoned for up to 15 years. As a result, many independent news outlets have been forced to shut down, making it difficult for Russians to receive more reliable information.
Other companies have joined the boycott, although some are yet to announce it officially. For example, Russian gamers found that they were unable to purchase Gran Turismo 7, without any prior warning. Similarly, Nintendo appeared to take the eshop offline yesterday, but has not officially confirmed this.