Amazon Games has announced the Russian localization for New World has been canceled as a direct result of the invasion of Ukraine. This is the latest game developer to take a stand against the military action that has been ongoing since February 24.

A large number of countries around the world have imposed sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion, and many individual companies have followed suit. Game developers have taken action in a variety of ways, with some giving direct support to Ukraine like the Pokémon Company, which donated $200,000 for relief aid. Others are taking action against the invaders, and this includes certain drastic measures such as CD Projekt Red stopping all sales of its existing games in Russia and Belarus.

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As reported by GameSpot, Amazon Games’ most recent decision focuses on Russia by halting the localization of its MMORPG New World. Christoph Hartmann, vice president of the developer, was the one who announced the cancellation, and a company spokesperson later confirmed that the decision was made because of the war. As of now, there has been no word on how this will affect Amazon Games’ other huge title, Lost Ark, which has been available in Russia since 2019.

While Amazon Games and many other developers have taken the initiative in how they are responding to the war, one particular type of support has been specifically requested of them. Ukraine asked to have Russian accounts blocked by game and esports companies, hoping that it could assist in bringing the conflict to an end. Cutting off Russian and Belarusian markets in this way could cause further unrest with the countries’ citizens and inspire them to further protest the military action in growing numbers.

In the age of modern technology, the world is witnessing war in a manner that has never been experienced before. Social media allows citizens to see the devastation much more readily and immediately. This gives these same individuals significantly more power when deciding how to respond and offering help. One example is legendary developer John Romero announcing a new DOOM 2 level after 30 years, with proceeds from the project going to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. There are many ways that both individuals and groups can get involved to bring the crisis to an end, and Amazon Games has gotten involved by canceling New World‘s Russian localization. It is likely that this is not the last developer to take action as the conflict continues.

Source: GameSpot

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