Ubisoft Stops Sales in Russia, Following Major Rivals

Benoit Berthelot, Bloomberg News

A UbiSoft Entertainment SA logo is displayed at the company's event ahead of the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, California, U.S., on Monday, June 10, 2019. Ubisoft announced that Uplay+, its new subscription service, will launch on September 3, 2019, for Windows PC. Players will be able to download more than 100 games, including new releases. Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg , Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) --

Ubisoft Entertainment SA is “suspending its physical and digital sales” in Russia on the Russian market, a spokesperson for the company said, following similar announcements by major video games companies over the past week.

Electronic Arts Inc. said last week it stopped sales of games and content, including virtual currency bundles, in Russia and Belarus while the war in Ukraine continues. Activision Blizzard Inc. made a similar announcement on Friday.

Ubisoft, the maker of games such as Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, has employees in Ukraine, with two studios based in Kyiv and Odesa. It has been helping employees willing to flee the country and provided housing in neighboring countries, a spokesperson said.

Ubisoft also has offices in Russia but declined to disclose the number of employees in both countries.