By Sagar V. Mankar 
Russia’s ambitious plans to develop its own gaming consoles have hit a significant roadblock. The initiative, which began with President Vladimir Putin’s directive last year, has recently faced public acknowledgment of its limitations by the very officials tasked with its development.
The story begins in March 2024, when Putin instructed his government to create both stationary and portable gaming consoles. This decision wasn’t made in a vacuum – it came as a direct response to major gaming companies like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo pulling out of the Russian market following the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Putin’s vision extended beyond just hardware, including plans for a unique operating system and cloud gaming infrastructure.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin was given the responsibility to oversee this ambitious project, with a deadline set for June 15, 2024. However, recent developments suggest that meeting these expectations might be more challenging than initially anticipated.
The current state of development reveals two distinct approaches. The first involves a console powered by Russia’s domestic Elbrus processor, developed by the Moscow Center of SPARC Technologies (MCST). While this processor serves well in critical infrastructure and defense applications, it falls significantly short when compared to the processing power needed for modern gaming. The second approach appears to be a more modest solution – a streaming device reminiscent of Amazon’s Fire Stick.
Anton Gorelkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, offered a candid assessment of the situation on Telegram. He acknowledged that the Elbrus processors currently lack the capability to compete with powerhouses like the PS5 and Xbox, necessitating what he called a “non-standard” approach to the challenge.
Interestingly, the project’s goals appear to have shifted somewhat. Rather than attempting to directly compete with established gaming giants, Russian officials now emphasize the importance of promoting domestic video game development and creating a platform for local content. The telecommunications firm MTS has emerged as a key player in this initiative, developing a cloud-based gaming platform called Fog Play. This initiative allows high-performance PC owners to rent out their computing power to users with less capable hardware. While creative, this solution still raises questions about its ability to provide a compelling alternative to traditional gaming consoles.
The announcement has sparked various reactions on social media, with many users expressing surprise at Russia’s attempt to enter the gaming console market. Some viewed it with skepticism, while others saw potential collector’s value in these unique devices.
Source: Techspot