Russia threatens to seize World Of Tanks studio's assets, accusing executives of "extremism"

The Russian government has threatened to seize the assets of studios behind free-to-play tank battler World Of Tanks, according to state media. Russia has accused the game companies' executives of "extremist activities" in relation to the war in Ukraine, although they provide no evidence in the legal action. The seizure casts a grim shadow over both Wargaming (the original developers of the game) and Lesta Games, a Moscow-based studio who were once owned by Wargaming and who took over the free-to-play game in Russian territories. It's Lesta Games who seem to be taking the brunt of the government hostility.

The assets of Lesta Games were subject to a "statement of claim" by Tagansky District Court of Moscow on April 17th, reports Russian media site RIA (translated by Google). The prosecutor general names Lesta's executive Malik Khatazhaev as the target of the seizures, but also the owner of Wargaming, Viktor Kisly. Lesta have filed a complaint in return to challenge the decision.

"The company is working in full compliance with the legislation of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus," said the developer in a Telegram group, as reported by RBC. "So we have no grounds for any fears or concealment of information. We have not violated anything and we have nothing to fear."

To clear up any confusion, Wargaming are the original creators of the tank game - a studio that began life in Belarus but later grew to have studios across Europe, eventually heavily relocating their work to Cyprus. They bought the Russia-based studio Lesta Games in 2011.

Fast forward to April 2022. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Wargaming fired a creative director who supported Russia's aggression and later announced they were cutting ties with their Russian and Belarussian studios and would no longer do business there. World Of Tanks was still playable in those regions, though, and became managed by Lesta Games, who once again became a legally independent business.

None of that distancing and repositioning seems to convince the Russian government, however. CEO of Wargaming, Viktor Kisly remains named by the prosecutor general as part of an "association carrying out extremist activities" and is therefore a target of asset seizure. The prosecutor's claim attached headlines from the media reporting World Of Tanks events that showed support for Ukraine by raising money for ambulances (you can see a trailer for that event here).

"Wargaming made a strategic exit from the Russian and Belarusian markets three years ago," said Wargaming in a response to VGC. "The company disposed of its business in Russia and Belarus to the local management at zero cost and on a debt-free, cash-free basis, with no consideration to take it back. Wargaming doesn’t have any assets or business interests in Russia and Belarus."

This isn't the first time Wargaming have been directly targeted by the Russian state for its sympathetic response to Ukraine. The company's chief business development officer was added to the country's terrorist watch list in 2023, as PC Gamer report.