Russian video game developers will be required to use the VK engine to receive state support
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The Association of Video Game Developers APRIORI (the largest participant is VK) has prepared a strategy for the development of the gaming industry until 2030. It provides for the mandatory pre-installation of VK app stores on all devices, as well as the use of the NAU Engine game engine, in the creation of which the holding will invest 1 billion rubles, as a condition for obtaining state support for developers. Among other measures is the launch of accelerators for young game studios on the basis of universities. APRIORI says that the “opinion of the industry” was taken into account when developing the document, but a number of studios note that the strategy was not discussed with them.
“Kommersant” got acquainted with the “road map” “Development of the gaming industry from 2024 to 2030”. It, according to a Kommersant source in the game development market, was prepared by participants in the specialized development competence center (CCR) Game Services under the Ministry of Digital Development (the composition of the CCR is not disclosed in the ministry). Among the authors of the document are VK, the APRIORI association (VK, Astrum Entertainment, FCC, Innova) and ANO Tsifrovaya ekonomika (ANO CE). It lists initiatives that, in the opinion of the authors, contribute to the development of the industry. They are divided into four tracks. The Ministry of Digital Transformation told Kommersant that “the proposals from the road map will be taken into account when developing appropriate support measures.”
Judging by the description of the “Technologies” track, Russian game publishers, as well as state centers of expertise, can make changes to the legislation, which, on the one hand, will simplify access to the audience for Russian platforms, and on the other hand, motivate studios to switch to domestic platforms.
In particular, the document assumes that in 2024 Russian gaming platforms (VK Play and RuStore) will be required to be pre-installed on “all devices”. It also says that by 2026, a prerequisite for game developers to receive state funding will be the use of the NAU Engine game engine, in the development of which VK will invest 1 billion rubles. (see Kommersant dated February 15).
In the “Investments” track, there is a proposal to create “an export commission under the Ministry of Digital Development / ANO APRIORI / ANO CE to select projects and develop partnerships with other countries” (Kommersant reported on a similar initiative on June 15). In the direction of “Regulatory legal acts”, the authors of the strategy propose in 2024-2025 to conduct a series of studies related to in-game mechanics (for example, the sale of loot boxes), to establish a new specialized department in the Ministry of Digital Development, as well as a committee in the State Duma, etc. In the track ” Education” it is planned to update curricula, create unified teacher training programs, and launch accelerators for young game development studios on the basis of universities.
ANO CE confirmed participation in the development of the document: “After all the necessary approvals, it will be sent to the relevant departments.” VK Play and Astrum declined to comment, and Lesta Games did the same (World of Tanks, World of Ships games). 1C (Caliber, Tales of Old Rus’) said that they did not participate in the preparation of the document.
Meanwhile, Kommersant’s interlocutor in the Russian video game development studio insists that neither this company nor, according to him, other participants in the Russian games market were aware of the preparation of the document: “Now it looks like the Ministry of Digital Development wants to close the entire market on VK.”
$200 billion
made up the global gaming industry market in 2022, according to Newzoo.
Vasily Ovchinnikov, CEO of the Organization for the Development of the Video Game Industry, also says that the strategy was not discussed with most representatives of Russian studios. A number of proposals in the document, he notes, look controversial: “The game engine is already included in the register of domestic software – this is UNIEngine, and others will appear if there is any sense. Therefore, adjusting state support mechanisms only for NAU Engine users looks strange.”
In addition, Mr. Ovchinnikov notes, the strategy does not include measures to attract foreign, primarily Arab and Chinese, investments in the industry, and to ease the working conditions of studios that develop games on a contract basis with foreign customers: “Such a measure, for example, can be facilitation of foreign exchange control.
In APRIORI, however, he claims that the development of the document was not behind the scenes: “The first version of the road map and the initiatives proposed in it were submitted for discussion by the participants of the Central Committee, consisting of 20 experts from different companies.” The association assured that the “road map” will be “complemented by comments from market participants.”
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