Russian gamers began to actively use pirated versions of games in 2022, 69% of video game fans downloaded unlicensed content at least once. This is reported by Vedomosti with reference to a survey and study conducted by the online game development school XYZ School.
Nearly a third of gamers used up to three pirated copies of PC games in a year, and 20% used more than 10 of those versions, 51% of gamers pirated more than in 2021. At the same time, respondents continued to purchasing licensed versions of available video games.
“Hacking” is mainly explained by the exit of the largest game studios in Russia. Last year, the American corporation Electronic Arts, developer of FIFA and Need For Speed, left the market. Wargaming, the developer of the World of Tanks, World of Warplanes and World of Warships games, has sold its business in Russia and Belarus to a new owner.
The growth of unlicensed copies was affected by the fact that local gamers cannot use Russian cards to pay for purchases in international stores, including Steam, GOG
- In 2022, Russian gamers also began to buy expensive games more often – from 1,000 to 10,000 rubles. Most gamers buy games once a month. At the same time, the number of people who do not buy games also increased to 43%.
Author:
karina pardaeva
Source: RB
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
