Continuing the trend of studios pulling things from sale in Russia, including Sony’s late call to pull Gran Turismo 7, Microsoft has made the decision to suspend sales of all of its products and services in the aggressor nation in an effort to help bring peace between it and the invaded Ukraine.
In a blog post from the president and vice-chair of Microsoft, Brad Smith, the Xbox and Windows manufacturer pulls no punches. Smith’s statement begins with Microsoft condemning the “unjustified, unprovoked and unlawful invasion by Russia.” Smith quickly explains that as of today, March 4, the tech giant “will suspend all new sales of Microsoft products and services in Russia.” This is on top of Microsoft’s work to help defend Ukraine from Russian cyberattacks and the mobilization of its resources toward the helping of refugees via “multiple UN agencies” and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
This means that everything Microsoft previously sold in Russia, including the Xbox Series X/S will no longer be sold in the country. Microsoft, like CD Projekt Red before it, believes organizations “are most effective in aiding Ukraine when” taking “concrete steps in coordination with” governments of the U.S.A., U.K., and throughout the European Union.
Microsoft is also “stopping many aspects” of its “business in Russia in compliance with governmental sanctions decisions.” The company is working closely with governments from around the world to condemn Russia and to help promote peace in Ukraine. Smith added at the end of his statement that Microsoft “like so many others… [stands] with Ukraine.” The more things are pulled from sale in the country, the more the Russian people could become disillusioned by Putin and the Kremlin and push harder for an end to the war.
