The Ukrainian government has kept its promise to formally request a Atomic core ban from major platform owners, including Sony. Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has just released the official letter to PlayStation boss Jim Ryan.
Why is Ukraine calling for an atomic core ban?
Atomic Heart is being developed by Russian studio Mundfish which apparently has ties to Vladimir Putin’s regime, which has been under international scrutiny for a year over the war in Ukraine. The game’s content has also been criticized for its veiled racism and references to Ukrainian politicians.
Part of Fyodorov’s letter read (textually):
I think Sony Interactive Entertainment doesn’t want to be seen as a platform that supports communism, even in such a futuristic execution. The history of Soviet Russia and its imperialist violations towards other independent countries led to the murder of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Not only now in Ukraine but also in Moldova and Georgia.
Quite a rhetorical question, whether it is worth promoting symbols that have been covered in blood.
Fedorov sent similar letters to Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida, Valve’s Gabe Newell, and Microsoft’s Brad Smith.
None of the aforementioned companies have yet responded to calls for Atomic Heart to be banned.