Tensions are definitely about as high as they have ever been with connections between the world and Russia. With many accusations thrown at Atomic Heart developer Mundfish, it can be hard to separate the fact from fiction. Everyone seems to have the answers in their own mind. With that being said, is it true that Atomic Heart collects your data for the Russian government?
Related: Do Atomic Heart’s developers have ties to Russian government? Answered
Does Atomic Heart steal your data for the Russian government?
According to Mundfish, Atomic Heart does not collect any data at all from its players. In a quote used in a GamesRadar+ report, the studio shut down all connectivity connected to its old store website years ago that would collect the data and give it to Russian state authorities, including the tax office and the Federal Security Service.
To help put your mind further at ease, when you play Atomic Heart, there is no terms and conditions page that pops up noting anything along the lines of giving the game permission to harvest your data. Any data that the game will receive would be the same information that every other video game receives from you playing their game while connected to the internet and playing on PlayStation, Steam, or Xbox’s services. This would be data that Microsoft, Sony, and Valve would use more than Focus or Mundfish. It’s connected to the platform more than the game itself.
Related: The Atomic Heart controversy and boycott, explained
In all honesty, we don’t believe you have anything to worry about concerning your data when playing Atomic Heart. With how connected the gaming landscape is now, every single big company will collect data, but we don’t believe Mundfish and Focus Entertainment are going out of their way to deliver how many times you healed yourself in a boss fight to the Russian authorities. If you are truly concerned about that potentially happening, you may want to avoid playing the game and destroy every device you have connected to the internet with Facebook, Google, Reddit, Twitter, or any kind of service.
