The European Union is thinking about banning the sale of PlayStation and Xbox consoles in Russia because they might be used in war. As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues, different methods have been used to limit Russia’s military power. Now, video game consoles are being looked at since they could be used for military purposes.
A report from Financial Times says that the EU is discussing a possible ban on selling gaming consoles in Russia, including PlayStation and Xbox. The reason for this is that these devices can be used to operate drones, which have played an important role in the war. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said that the goal of these sanctions is to stop Russia from using everyday technology for military use.
It is important to remember that Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo already stopped selling their consoles in Russia in March 2022, just one month after the war began. However, people in Russia have still been able to buy second-hand consoles, meaning they can still access these devices. The new EU restrictions would try to block this option and make it even harder for Russia to get gaming hardware.
At the same time, Russia has tried to create its own gaming industry. In early 2024, reports said that the Russian government wanted to create its own gaming consoles and cloud gaming services to compete with Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. However, these plans have not worked out.
If the EU goes ahead with this ban, it could make it much harder for Russia to get advanced gaming technology, even though video game consoles are not directly made for war.
