The team at the Games Gathering B2B game development conference conducted a study of 50 Russian projects over the past 30 years and found that 80% of them had propaganda narratives.
The team at the Games Gathering B2B game development conference conducted a study of 50 Russian projects over the past 30 years and found that 80% of them had propaganda narratives.
According to the results of a study conducted with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, 40 out of 50 projects recorded various forms and intensity of Russian propaganda. Thus, in 80% of the analyzed cases, researchers observed propaganda narratives, symbols, or other elements of information influence.
«If in 1991–2013 only 7,7% of games contained harsh propaganda messages, and most of them were disguised, then in the period 2022–2025 this figure increased to 60%. Propaganda ceases to be hidden, it becomes direct and intrusive,» Games Gathering notes.
According to researchers, at least 13 propaganda-based video games were released between 1991 and 2013, but these messages did not appear to be part of a centralized state strategy, but rather reflected the personal views of the developers.
After the occupation of Crimea and the start of the war against Ukraine, propaganda in video games became noticeably more aggressive and systematic. The Russian authorities began to take a greater interest in this area: interaction with the army, «patriotic» narratives, and whitewashing of Russian security forces began to appear.
After the full-scale invasion began, the Russian authorities began to openly support the «necessary» studios and projects: through public statements, grants, the participation of military structures, information support and promotion. During this period, games became another channel for war propaganda aimed at domestic audiences and abroad.
«Our conclusion is simple: Russian propaganda is not tied to any one genre. It feels equally good in serious projects and in cheap, niche content,» the authors of the study note.
According to them, through structures such as the Internet Development Institute, the state is investing billions in support of gaming projects for 2025–2027, continuing a trend that is already visible in current grant programs. According to the researchers, a stable financial flow is being formed, designed to launch new waves of «ideologically correct» releases every year.
«The example of Atomic Heart shows that if the propaganda narrative
to build into the game at least the level of a conventional AA project — with high-quality graphics, music, marketing and access to global platforms — such a game begins to work not as local propaganda material, but as a mass cultural phenomenon. In this case, Russian messages receive
access to a global audience, and in the guise of a «simply stylish game,» Games Gathering points out.
Researchers warn that neither in Ukraine nor in the world as a whole has there yet been
well-thought-out strategies to counter video game propaganda, as well as systematic programs for monitoring and analyzing such projects. This topic is little researched, and given the increasing number of Russian propaganda projects and their improving quality, this could become a serious challenge for Ukraine and Western countries
