Pokemon Go developer Niantic Labs has suspended operations of its games in Russia and Belarus in response to the ongoing Ukrainian conflict.
All of Niantic’s apps have been pulled from their respective app stories in the two countries, with functionality for apps already downloaded said to be going dark “shortly.” Games affected include Pokemon Go, Pikmin Bloom, and the company’s original IP Ingress Prime.
We stand with the global community in hoping for peace and a rapid resolution to the violence and suffering in Ukraine. Niantic’s games are no longer available for download in Russia and Belarus, and gameplay will also be suspended there shortly.
— Niantic 🧭 (@NianticLabs) March 11, 2022
The decision comes in response to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which has sparked condemnation around the world. Other gaming companies have taken similar routes, including Microsoft, CD Projekt Red, Sony, and Electronic Arts. EA even took an extra step, removing all Russian national teams and leagues from both FIFA 22 and NHL 22.
Multiple other gaming companies have come out in support of Ukraine, both before and after the Ukrainian government called specifically on gaming companies to suspend operations in Russia and Belarus–which is supporting Russia in the campaign–over the conflict.
If you’d like to help ongoing humanitarian efforts, we’ve assembled a list of humanitarian organizations like the Ukrainian Red Cross and Unicef that you can donate to.
Source: Gamespot
