Ukrainian Game Devs Are Volunteering To Fight In The War Against Russia
We are currently on day 12 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Heavy shelling of major Ukrainian urban centers continues unabated even after an agreement for a temporary ceasefire to allow civilians to evacuate cities. Ukraine blames Russia for violating the ceasefire through continued artillery fire even as civilians attempted to flee.
The situation on the ground has gotten so dire that even Ukrainian game developers are taking up arms to stave off the Russian invaders. Speaking to Polygon, Pungle Studio marketing manager Tymur Solod confirmed that a core group of developers is fleeing Kharkiv, which has received intense shelling over the past few days, while others are staying to fight.
Related: Here Are Ukrainian Video Game Studios You Can Support Right Now
“Some people of our team volunteered to [join the] regular army and territory defense units,” Solod said. “The company [keeps paying a] salary for everyone, especially those who joined [the] army.”
Red Beat, the studio behind Frostborn and Space Rogue, has also volunteered to fight for Ukraine's territorial defense. Sinking City maker Frogwares is also assisting in Ukraine's defense, with CEO Wael Amr reporting that game development has stopped in favor of assisting Ukraine's military with intelligence, "organizing transport or evacuation for those who require it, and checking in on everyone two or three times a day.”
Frogwares was one of the many Ukrainian-based developers to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and pleaded with the world for help. That help has come in the form of charity drives and donations from game developers, while world leaders arm Ukraine's military with anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.
Meanwhile, Russia is finding itself
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