The Kremlin released a formal directive inviting the Government of the Russian Federation to explore the creation of a domestic video game hardware ecosystem. The guidance focuses on establishing a national approach to manufacturing stationary and portable game consoles, alongside the development of a purpose-built operating system and a cloud service designed to distribute games and applications to users. This initiative appears as part of a broader push to strengthen domestic tech capabilities and reduce reliance on imported platforms.
The newly issued set of instructions was made public on March 25, 2024, and traces its origins to a meeting held on January 25, 2024, which examined the region’s socio-economic development, with particular emphasis on Kaliningrad. The document clarifies that the Government of the Russian Federation should consider not only hardware production but also the software layer that would support a seamless user experience across devices. The cloud component is described as a key element for delivering games and programs remotely, potentially enhancing accessibility and performance for a wide user base regardless of local hardware limits.
Among the paragraphs of the directive, one sentence highlights the expectation for concrete progress reports after a defined period. In this case, the government is asked to provide updates on the implementation by June 15, 2024. The responsibility for monitoring this process is assigned to the Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin, who is charged with coordinating the efforts and reporting on milestones achieved.
In total, the instruction package comprises nine items. Some provisions are framed as recommendations exclusively for the federal government, while others involve collaboration between the national government and the regional administration of Kaliningrad. The dual nature of these tasks signals an intent to align centralized strategy with regional capabilities and opportunities for local advancement in the technology sector.
There was prior public awareness that a widely anticipated mobile racing game, known in the market, would see a transition from mobile format to personal computers and dedicated consoles. This information underscores an overarching aim to broaden the reach of popular titles within a domestically produced ecosystem, potentially stabilizing the domestic software market and showcasing local development talent on multiple platforms.