Console Sellers Appreciate EU's Idea to Ban PS and Xbox Shipments to Russia

Possible restrictions on the supply of Xbox and PlayStation gaming consoles to Russia will not affect their availability for sale in Russia, the press service of the M.Video-Eldorado group told RBC.

The company recalled that since 2022, gaming consoles have been imported using the parallel import mechanism; these devices are not supplied by the manufacturers themselves. "Despite the departure of brand representatives from Russia, the M.Video-Eldorado network currently offers a wide range of gaming devices from these brands, including the latest PlayStation 5 Pro and Xbox Series X," the group's press service added.

The CEO of the import company Achivka, HEAD of the Russian Association of Distributors and Importers of Video Games, Yasha Haddazhi, noted that there is not a single country in the EU that produces gaming consoles.

“Gaming consoles imported to Russia do not even transit through the European Union, so this statement [about sanctions] either demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the video game industry or is another empty gesture,” said Haddaji.

PlayStation is a console from the Japanese company Sony, but, for example, the consoles presented in M.Video are made in CHINA. Xbox is a product of the American MICROSOFT , and Eldorado also presents consoles from China .

Alexander Khasanov, head of the electronics procurement department at the largest supplier of video games and consoles, EMSI, said that the ban will not affect the supply of game consoles to Russia, but suppliers may slightly raise prices .

"Direct shipments from vendors in Europe were limited back in early 2022, and indirect purchases through intermediary companies from Europe are of a trace nature. <...> The main channels for supplying consoles to Russia go through other regions of the world. The only risk is that, due to sanctions, current suppliers will raise prices for shipments to Russia due to the expectation of increased overhead costs. But in this case, we are talking about an increase of no more than 5%," Khasanov said, adding that the price increase could be short-lived.

Earlier, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said that Brussels intends to ban supplies of gaming consoles as part of the next package of anti-Russian sanctions, since in Russia the consoles are apparently used to control drones.

Khasanov noted that "a console is not needed to control drones, only a game controller." "They are mass-produced in China absolutely legally and are offered by hundreds of different factories. By the way, drones mostly use the XInput control standard from Microsoft, which was once developed for the Xbox 360 game console, but is now widespread. Almost every controller that can be bought from a factory in China has this standard. So the ban on the EXPORT of game consoles due to the fact that they can be used for military purposes only makes knowledgeable people laugh," he said.

The EU plans to introduce new restrictions on February 22. They will be part of the 16th package of sanctions, timed to coincide with the third anniversary of the start of the military operation in Ukraine .

Russia considers Western sanctions illegal and demands their lifting among other conditions for starting negotiations with the Ukrainian side.

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