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Sony has announced that it is stopping its entertainment activities in Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Sony also stopped releasing Jared Leto’s “Morbius” to Russian users two weeks ago.
According to the latest company’s announcement, Russian users can’t get “Spider-Man: No Way Home” or any other upcoming home entertainment release on Sony’s platform. In a nutshell, Russia is added to Sony’s blacklist.
Moreover, Sony is also pulling its Crunchyroll streaming service in Russia. Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra confirms the news. Vinciquerra said the company sends “thoughts and prayers” to everyone impacted by the conflict and also hopes that “a peaceful resolution can be found soon.”
Russian users can’t get Sony entertainment releases anymore
So far, many big companies have left the Russian market due to the ongoing conflict between the country and Ukraine. The Russian ruble has plummeted, and stock markets have closed.
The reaction of various companies to the Russian invasion of Ukraine was perhaps beyond expectations. To date, most large technology and streaming companies have ceased operations in Russia.
Google and YouTube are seeking to remove Russian news websites from their listings. Roku also removed RT and Sputnik from its platform. Meta, Apple, and Microsoft had similar reactions. The Russian government also responded by blocking Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram access.
Besides the companies mentioned above, Disney, Amazon, Netflix, WarnerMedia, Samsung have also left the Russian market.
In addition to causing inconvenience to Russian users, the sanctions could have a devastating effect on the Russian economy. Withdrawal of companies from the Russian market means their employees in the country will lose their jobs. More companies will leave the Russian market in the coming weeks, which means more unemployment.
Of course, the Russian government and its regulators have never dealt well with technology companies operating in the country. The Russian Roskomnadzor constantly asks for users’ information, or removing some content goes against their policies.