Vladimir Putin's Russia to challenge PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo with THIS move? Report claims...

Nearly a year after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the development of homegrown gaming consoles, officials have admitted their devices cannot rival industry leaders like PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo. According to a report by Techspot, one of the consoles uses Russia’s Elbrus processor but lacks significant power. Another model resembles a Fire Stick and streams cloud-based games, priced at just $45.

Anton Gorelkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, expressed hopes for innovation in this project. "Elbrus processors are not yet advanced enough to compete with PS5 or Xbox, so we need non-standard solutions," he wrote on Telegram. Gorelkin emphasised that the goal was not just to play old games but to promote Russian-made video games and boost the domestic gaming industry.

Social media reactions to Russia’s attempts have ranged from surprise to humor. One user commented, "I didn’t think they’d actually follow through."

Another joked, "The ‘Putindo’ will be a wild collector’s item someday." A third quipped, "It’s funny that this wasn’t a tech company’s initiative but Putin’s direct order."

The development directive came in March 2024, following sanctions that halted official sales of major gaming consoles in Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.