SCS Software have put out a statement about the Heart of Russia upcoming DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 and they've decided not to release it. With the ongoing barbaric invasion of Ukraine from Russia, it's not exactly surprising that releasing a DLC expansion for a game that's focused on Russia might cause problems.
In their statement, SCS mentioned how they "try to be as apolitical as possible" but in this case, they simply could not stay silent on it "with so many people suffering, we decided to refrain from releasing the DLC so that it is not perceived in any way as being in support of or tolerance of the aggression".
Sounds like it's not completely cancelled though, as they will hold onto it until Ukraine can "rebuild and heal" so they will then "endeavour to find a way for our Heart of Russia DLC to play whatever part it can in that healing process, for everyone".
A tough situation for SCS to navigate through, considering all the effort they put into their work and their DLC are usually quite well received too due to the work they put in to capture the essence of the areas they add in.
You can buy ETS2 from Humble Store and Steam.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Quoting: chelobakaBusiness cannot be run on emotions and it shouldn't touch politics as well.
This is a fallacy, as it assumes that there is such a thing as an apolitical stance here. If there's a racist attacking PoC, it's not "apolitical" to stay at the side. Same here.
QuoteDoes cancelling of this DLC help one side against the other in the conflict? Highly unlikely.
... and there you go discussing politically (checking pros and cons) ...
QuoteBut it will surely hurt the developer.I'm not that sure about it. The backlash and current distaste for Russian themed "things" is big and can quickly offset the income.
QuoteSanctions always hurt common people... like the ETS2 devs? They're not common people, and anyhow, it's their decision. If you mean the players: There's no "hurting" involved... at all. There's not even close to a right to have a Russia DLC.
Quoteand elites still have money to buy latest iPhone or whatever.That's... not what sanctions go for. The EU couldn't care less whether any Oligarch can still afford iPhones. It's about freezing assets that may be used to help the war effort. This is big money, not consumer electronics.
QuotePolitical problems — a war is a part of politics — should be resolved using appropriate instruments like diplomacy and military power.Sanctions are a part of diplomacy, and of military might. Additionally, wars are waged using Propaganda, this doubly so. Having the upper hand in the information warfare (and morale) is crucial.
You cannot be apolitical, you can either support the current situation or act against it (well, you can try to play both sides, but that's worse).
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Quoting: Mountain ManClassic virtue signaling.Usually I would agree, but in this case doing "something" is almost required.
This is not just the usual "we stand for diversity! *implements gender toggle without any effect to get headlines written about how great allies they are*" identity politics garbage, but a problem that is actually real.
In the current situation, releasing anything Russia themed, even as innocuous as a truck sim DLC, will be putting a very big elephant in the room.
And elephants in the room are always better off addressed and dealt with.
If this particular course of action, stopping the DLC entirely, is the best course of action is a different debate.
I agree with the notion that they should've released the DLC and given the profits to some Ukraine-themed charity, at least assuming it was almost done anyway.
On the other hand, you have real people working on this.
If I currently had to work on a product that basically made me create a model of Russia in some form or another, I would not feel good about it, either, not in the slightest. This might have been a decision meant in favor of the devs themselves more than a PR one.
Russia is a do-not-touch topic right now, and will remain so for many years to come. Tragic in all regards, but it is what it is.
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I understand why they decided not to release the DLC. But why not release it and spend all the money for the refugees or the ukraine itself? This will help more.
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Quoting: SabriconI understand why they decided not to release the DLC. But why not release it and spend all the money for the refugees or the ukraine itself? This will help more.
I wonder though...
From which country would probably be the most customers for the DLC?
What would many of them think about it?
So, while it sounds good, it might not work out.
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fnordianslip May 31, 2022
Russia might not have any trucks left by the time their calamitous war on Ukraine is over.
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Quoting: GuestDevelopers need to stick making games, i don't care for there political opinions.
It seems they don't care if you care.
Quoting: GuestAlso people here fail to see that the first thing thats dying in a war is "The Truth" Both countries are equally corrupt so i don't pick sides i do feel for the citizens on both sides tho.
This is not about corruption. One country attacked its neighbour country, and started kill its people, and wants it to vanish.
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Quoting: BumadarQuoting: RussianNeuroMancerThis is the right decision. It's absolutely crazy what Russian government do right now, and not only government - around 70% citizens believe in propaganda, and honestly wish Ukrainians death. There is just no point to release this DLC until Russia citizens change their mind, and I don't expect it to happen anytime soon.
Quoting: KimyrielleIt's the right call. Unfortunately, in this case, there was no unpolitical decision available. It's a shame that they blew so much money on making a product they in all likelihood will never be able to sell before it is horribly outdated. The time it will take for Russia to be an accepted member of the international community again will be measured in decades, not years...
Not arguing at all about the fact that what is happening in the Ukraine is wrong, it is.
But I honestly feel that what the west is doing now towards the Russian people is so very very flawed. Going after the rich and influential people there, go for it. But cutting the normal Russian off from everything is only pushing them more into the corner we don't want them to be.
What will this accomplish really? Nothing it will just make a gamer go f*** this, stupid West/developer. He is not going onto the streets and demonstrate with the risk of a jail timer longer then what you get in some countries for a murder, no he will go like hmmm maybe all the news I see every day (the propaganda) has some truth.
I also have no correct solution for it all, but I do feel that cutting the normal Russian off from the world (no google/apple pay/xbox/sony ps,no more games to buy on steam, etc etc) is not the way.
Let the Flaming start :)
I 100% agree with you, the isolation that the West is creating towards the Russian population is absurd, they are pushing that people into total seclusion, giving Putin greater control over them and it will end up becoming a new North Korea. And not to mention the growing Russophobia, reading news that philharmonic orchestras have stopped playing works by Tchaikovsky or universities prohibiting classes about Dostoevsky's works.
It is that not even in the 80s in the middle of the cold war, a time that I lived in my childhood, I did not see so much anti-Russian sentiment. And to think that at that time all these artistic expressions built bridges with the people for greater integration, now, the West is in charge of collapsing them with the absurd hypothesis that the people will rise up and banish Putin, it is easier to think and do that behind of a keyboard, but in practice it is very different, and I say this from my position, I am Colombian and we have lived for more than 50 years in an internal war and with many repressive governments that did not shake their hands in murdering civilians, very recently About a year ago, the armed and police forces murdered more than 80 people, and absolutely nothing happened, no country condemned the government of my country for that and everything remained the same.
The people are not to blame for the decisions of their governments, and the problem is that people do not look back, they forget history, and humanity makes the same mistakes again.
The position of the developers is understandable, if they continue working on that DLC the world will come crashing down on them and they will end up like the bad guys, I remember in the game's steam forum, from the first day of the invasion, people questioning and asking them to stop the DLC development
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Quoting: GuestIf Ukrain didn't have American funded Biolabs then Russia wouldn't even be there ;)
That's strange, because Mr. Putin said that it would be about nazis, ah no, drugs, no, one moment, protecting Russians in East Ukraine, ah, is Ukraine historically a thing in the first place?!? So, what you'Re saying contradicts most (if not all) of what Putin said.
BTW, my country has labs too, and so probably does yours, so... good luck to you.
(Of course we both know that you found out world secrets by a bit of googling. Yeah, I've got nothing to say about that.)
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I understand this is a tough subject for some, but let's keep cool heads and remember not to insult others. I will remove / not approve any comments that seek to cause arguments, or to complain about previous wars. All wars are terrible.
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Quoting: EikeThat's strange, because Mr. Putin said that it would be about nazis, ah no, drugs, no, one moment, protecting Russians in East Ukraine, ah, is Ukraine historically a thing in the first place?!? ....
Historically speaking Russia would have to join Ukraine and not the other way around. The "Rus" were originally the northeners (Swedish, Danes, Finns, Norwegians) who settled in and around Kiew. This is where the "Rus" were governed from.
Originally the region was inhabited by the Pechenegs, who were a turkish normadic tribe, and who knows who was there before those. So the Turks could throw in their claim to the country too if we are at historical claims...
Last edited by STiAT on 31 May 2022 at 5:42 pm UTC
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