The Russian government plans to establish a fund to support video games that will aim to popularize Russian history and culture. Writes about this “Kommersant”. This initiative was included in the second package of measures to support the IT industry.

According to the publication, the fund for video games will operate similarly to the Cinema Fund. Funds will be issued on a refundable basis. Presumably, a project to create a fund should be developed by the Ministry of Digital and the Ministry of Culture and submitted by November 2021.

Sources said that the idea of ​​creating the fund was promoted by Mail.ru Group and Yandex. Another interlocutor claims that the Presidential Administration is actively supporting the project. The owner of the portals “Kanobu” and “Igromania” Gadzhi Makhtiyev replied that the gaming industry does not need government money. In his opinion, the authorities are trying to bring popularization to the already formed market, but due to the orientation of developers to the global market, this idea “may not enter.”

In mid-March, RBC reported on a similar initiative. Then the list of areas for support included support for online content, but, apparently, this part was removed from the proposal.