CD Projekt Halts All Digital & Physical Game Sales in Russia & Belarus

[Uskompuf]

In light of the Russian military invasion in our neighboring country of Ukraine, until further notice the CD PROJEKT Group has made the decision to halt all sales of our games to Russia and Belarus. Today, we begin working with our partners to suspend digital sales and cease physical stock deliveries of CD PROJEKT Group products, as well as all games distributed on the GOG platform, to the territories of Russia and Belarus.

The entire CD PROJEKT Group stands firm with the people of Ukraine. While we are not a political entity capable of directly influencing state matters, and don't aspire to be one, we do believe that commercial entities, when united, have the power to inspire global change in the hearts and minds of ordinary people. We know that players in Russia and Belarus, individuals who have nothing to do with the invasion of Ukraine, will be impacted by this decision, but with this action we wish to further galvanize the global community to speak about what is going on in the heart of Europe.

To our brothers and sisters fighting for their home country — stay strong!



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[PerfectWave]

how to solve a war LUL

 

[lexluthermiester]

To our brothers and sisters fighting for their home country — stay strong!

Well said CDPR! Well said indeed!

When almost the whole world is cutting you off, you know you're in for a hard time. I hope this has the right effect. The people of Russia need to rope in their "fearless leader". And when I say rope in, not exactly excluding the idea of a noose..

 

[Arumio]

Watching all these bans from payment systems and stores, I see only one thing - hello, an increase in pirated software

 

[Verpal]

Well said CDPR! Well said indeed!

When almost the whole world is cutting you off, you know you're in for a hard time. I hope this has the right effect. The people of Russia need to rope in their "fearless leader". And when I say rope in, not exactly excluding the idea of a noose..

Considering history of Russia and history of sanctions in general, certain nation... culture react strangely to sanctions.
Sometimes, isolation helps a leader consolidate power, as long as they can still provide basic sustenance to the general population.
Not saying it will happen in Russia, surely I hope that's not the case, but sanction works in mysterious way, and a nation push to the corner can potentially be quite dangerous.

 

[lexluthermiester]

a nation push to the corner can potentially be quite dangerous.

There is that. Then there's the Russian nuke situation. Still, this was a good move for CDPR.

 

[Verpal]

There is that. Then there's the Russian nuke situation. Still, this was a good move for CDPR.

Indeed, I think CDPR did what they could, alternatively they can also donate profit from Russia to Ukraine, could be a bit messy as Russian scramble to secure alternative payment method though, and most people would probably just turn to piracy.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I see only one thing - hello, an increase in pirated software

most people would probably just turn to piracy.

Sadly, this could become a thing..

 

[cyneater]

I don't support virtue signalling so any company that does this I will not buy their products

 

[Shihab]

Sometimes, isolation helps a leader consolidate power, as long as they can still provide basic sustenance to the general population.

Yep.
We've been seeing sanctions after sanctions since the last century here. And the grip of the previous regime has - unsurprisingly - reached its peak with the last bout of western policies aiming to isolate them.
What led to their demise was idiotic management of economy and the usual cronyism that accompanies dictatorships. Ironically, said demise happened *after* sanctions mostly lifted and talks to end the isolation for all were ongoing (albeit poorly).

 

[lexluthermiester]

I don't support virtue signalling so any company that does this I will not buy their products

Your loss. Don't buy from microsoft, Intel, AMD, NVidia, Sega, Epic, Sony, Amazon, Apple, EA, Nintendo, Netflix, Disney, etc, etc, etc... because they're all doing the same thing. It's not virtue signaling, it's called putting a bully in his place and forcing the Russian people to choose between a cold-war has-been and their own future. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it clever-chops!

EDIT:
Oh and BTW, TPU waited a bit before posting this particular article(no diss on TPU, it's just how it rolls sometimes), CDPR was one of the first companies to stop service and sales to Russia and Belarus.

 

[ExcuseMeWtf]

how to solve a war LUL

This is how wars are carried out in XXI century actually.
You only do military invasions when other party is much weaker and cost-benefit analysis checks out.
Putin either didn't bother with latter, or screwed it up, quite badly evidently. He's gonna pay for it, and not that I pity him. I do pity Russians with anti-war sentiments who now pay the price though.

 

[Frick]

I don't support virtue signalling so any company that does this I will not buy their products

Seeing how most banks and Visa/Mastercard has pulled out this will be an impossible stand to keep if you want to partake in everyday life.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I do pity Russians with anti-war sentiments who now pay the price though.

I have friends and family in Russia. I do feel bad for them. They're in a tough place. However, the Russian people have a choice:
1. Remove Putin, who has long out-stayed his welcome
or
2. Suffer the results of Putin's foolishness.

 

[RH92]

Your loss. Don't buy from microsoft, Intel, AMD, NVidia, Sega, Epic, Sony, Amazon, Apple, EA, Nintendo, Netflix, Disney, etc, etc, etc... because they're all doing the same thing. It's not virtue signaling, it's called putting a bully in his place and forcing the Russian people to choose between a cold-war has-been and their own future. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it clever-chops!

It's not virtue signaling ? Let's pretend for a second this statement is true ....

Where were all these companies you named when the USA violated the sovereignty of Serbia , Irak ( with completely made up documents at that being ) , Afghanistan , Uganda and Lybia just to name a few ? Did not the US bombard entire cities to the ground , killing hundreds of thousands if not millions of civilians in the proccess ? In comparison civilian casualties in Ukraine may aswell be not existent ( even though every life matters ) ! So what gives , were the lifes of those people less important than Ukrainian lifes or did these American companies ( most of them ) were blind and deaf back in the days because the agressor was their master ?

Everyone knows the answer to the question so please at the very least have some respect for the collective intellect if not for yours . If there is anyone on this planet that is by far the least in position to give lessons about bullying other nations that is the USA and the West in general . The cold truth you don't want to hear is , these companies are doing nothing more than serving and spreading American propaganda !

 

[ExcuseMeWtf]

It's only virtue signalling if they actually continue to do business while pretending otherwise for the sake of publicity.
Do you have a proof that's the case?

Where were all these companies you named when the USA violated the sovereignty of Serbia , Irak ( with completely made up documents at that being ) , Afghanistan , Uganda and Lybia just to name a few ? Did not the US bombard entire cities to the ground , killing hundreds of thousands if not millions of civilians in the proccess ? In comparison civilian casualties in Ukraine may aswell be not existent ( even though every life matters ) ! So what gives , were the lifes of those people less important than Ukrainian lifes or did these American companies ( most of them ) were blind and deaf back in the days because the agressor was their master ?

Perhaps it was considered, then decided against it as it wouldn't generate enough pressure to be worthwhile in those past cases? Which, given specific geopolitical situations of countries you mention, sounds quite plausible to me.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

It's only virtue signalling if they actually continue to do business while pretending otherwise for the sake of publicity.
Do you have a proof that's the case?


Perhaps it was considered, then decided against it as it wouldn't generate enough pressure to be worthwhile in those past cases? Which, given specific geopolitical situations of countries you mention, sounds quite plausible to me.

Sounds like more "rules fo rthee, not for me". It's only okay to bomb countries if you are the USA or western europe. Anyone else does it and suddenly its a moral crisis.

 

[Cutechri]

1. Remove Putin, who has long out-stayed his welcome

As much as I wish they would, best of luck.

It's only okay to bomb countries if you are the USA or western europe. Anyone else does it and suddenly its a moral crisis.

Thank you very much. Cue the US sanctioning countries who dare own nukes, oh but don't look at our own 5000+ nuke supply, only we're allowed to have them. Proceeds to spend more on defense than every other country combined. Hypocrites.

 

[watzupken]

I generally find sanctions pointless. If you observed nations slapped with sanctions in the past, none of it had much of an impact on them. And I don’t recall most of them actually turned around. This cane have been used too often, and highly predictable. So for Russia, they would have already known and prepared themselves against these retaliations. At least the people the leaders and influential people would be prepared. So that leaves the citizens that may not support nor have a say about this invasion that suffers.
Ultimately, any sanctions will hurt the world because of how interconnected and interdependent we are nowadays. For example, just by virtue of not buying Russian oil is enough to increase oil and thus, power prices up substantially. So everyone in the world will feel the effects and with the poor suffering the most.

 

[Lomskij]

Makes sense. Considering that CDPR is a Polish company, and if West fails to stop Putin in Ukraine, his next targets might be Baltics and Poland. Russia can't be attacked directly, but death by a thousand cuts, or at least starving his war machine is a possible scenario.

 

[Bomby569]

I generally find sanctions pointless. If you observed nations slapped with sanctions in the past, none of it had much of an impact on them. And I don’t recall most of them actually turned around. This cane have been used too often, and highly predictable. So for Russia, they would have already known and prepared themselves against these retaliations. At least the people the leaders and influential people would be prepared. So that leaves the citizens that may not support nor have a say about this invasion that suffers.
Ultimately, any sanctions will hurt the world because of how interconnected and interdependent we are nowadays. For example, just by virtue of not buying Russian oil is enough to increase oil and thus, power prices up substantially. So everyone in the world will feel the effects and with the poor suffering the most.

It usually just makes things worst, legitimaze the rulling government. It isolates them and creates the "common enemy", the victimization, that is the best tool of any good dictator.

Much better would be to put anti war messages on all products going to Russia.

But at this particular level, CDPR games and GOG platform not selling games free of DRM to a country that is piracy master gold level, is the equivalent to not selling sand to Morocco.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

Makes sense. Considering that CDPR is a Polish company, and if West fails to stop Putin in Ukraine, his next targets might be Baltics and Poland. Russia can't be attacked directly, but death by a thousand cuts, or at least starving his war machine is a possible scenario.

Except that russia is strugglng to accomplish much of anything in the ukraine, their supply lines are non existent, and polands army is not only comparable in size but much better trained and equipped.

If this war has taught us anything it is that russia is arguably the weakest power in the region, and rather then feared should be treated like the utter joke they are. Any other baltic country with their heads screwed on straight would be able to fend off russia. Hell russia STILL hasnt taken kiev, a city less then an hour away from a friendly border, with an army that vastly outnumbers the Ukranians. Yet poorly trained civillians and volunteers with MANPADs from the 80s have destroyed hundreds of russian tanks and APCs, and obliterated, what, 5 supply convoys now?

It's more likely that instead of fear of invasion, the polish have a deep seated hatred for the russians. The Balkan regions of europe hate each other but especially despise russia.

 

[Raiden85]

how to solve a war LUL

Won't solve it but cut off Russias money, cut of all possible supplies even luxury stuff like entertainment and any new electronics. If you isolate the country as much as possible it's going to really **** the people of that they may hopefully overthrow the pathetic dictator.

 

[Zaqq]

It usually just makes things worst, legitimaze the rulling government. It isolates them and creates the "common enemy", the victimization, that is the best tool of any good dictator.

Much better would be to put anti war messages on all products going to Russia.

But at this particular level, CDPR games and GOG platform not selling games free of DRM to a country that is piracy master gold level, is the equivalent to not selling sand to Morocco.

The collapse of USSR was caused mainly by discontent with internal economic struggles that lead to weakening of political power and consequent unsuccessfully reform efforts... Russia (just like Iran) can survive in the isolation from West but unless Putin & successors would be able to tighten the grip on the society even more internal struggles will eventually rise. The main reason Chinese are content to live with limited freedoms under autocratic regime is the economic success.

 

[Bomby569]

The collapse of USSR was caused mainly by discontent with internal economic struggles that lead to weakening of political power and consequent unsuccessfully reform efforts... Russia (just like Iran) can survive in the isolation from West but unless Putin & successors would be able to tighten the grip on the society even more internal struggles will eventually rise. The main reason Chinese are content to live with limited freedoms under autocratic regime is the economic success.

i think the solution was already found long ago, Putin is tightening the grip, haven't you been following the news. Mind you, he and most of the ones close to him are former KGB. There is no Gorbachev this time to come up with a new Perestroika. Putin is doing a anti-Perestroika.