Sony is the latest company to pull business out of Russia in light of the country’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
Sony’s gaming division Sony Interactive Entertainment announced Wednesday that it would cut off hardware shipments and software launches in Russia in light of the Russian government’s escalating hostilities.
The company also noted that it would suspend access to the PlayStation store, Sony’s online gaming storefront, and call off the Russian launch of Gran Turismo 7, its hit racing title that’s raked in more than $4 billion across the series to date.
Sony follows a number of other tech and gaming companies that have suspended their business in Russia, including competitor Microsoft, which announced that it would halt sales in the country on March 4.
In the earliest days of the Russian invasion, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called on the gaming industry to cut off its business in Russia, naming Microsoft and Sony specifically. Fedorov also urged the esports world to suspend any Russian competitors and cancel any events taking place in the country. “In 2022, modern technology is perhaps the best answer to the tanks, multiple rocket launchers and missiles,” he wrote.