Best Russian Video Games for Long New Year Holidays
Russia is not exactly fashionable to praise abroad these days, but some success stories are too loud to ignore. Russian game development is in a boom – games built by local teams are being played worldwide. And this is one of those moments when “made in Russia” reads as a shorthand for high quality and guaranteed fun.
A Russian game climbs the charts
The number of Russian titles on the market keeps growing. They are often described as moody – and, in some cases, not designed to please everyone – yet millions of players around the world still pick them up. Some even land among the top-performing releases.
At Steam’s autumn “Games to Be” festival, Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, created by St. Petersburg studio Unfrozen, placed second in the Top 50 demo list. The game is positioned as a prequel to the first four entries in the Heroes of Might and Magic series. It is set in the world of Enroth long before the events of the first installment and introduces fans to a new continent – Jadame. A key hook is agency: players can make decisions that shape the story and the fate of the world.
The demo is available on Steam. It includes four factions – Dungeon, Necropolis, Rift, and Temple – as well as three modes: Arena, Classic, and Single Hero. You can also play on the VK Play platform.
Genre staples
Among Russian-made games, a few stand out as perennial favorites. Atomic Heart launched in February 2023 and immediately drew attention for its immersion into a stylized Soviet-era atmosphere. It is a single-player, first-person shooter with RPG elements, set in a retrofuturist world where the USSR wins the technology race. The combat system is a distinctive mix of axe fighting and telekinesis. Atomic Heart sparked strong interest in Western media and gaming communities, with players praising its aesthetics and bold design choices. Several DLC releases have already followed.
Another breakout is Escape from Tarkov – a game that teaches players to value life and resources. Its calling card is mechanical realism: bullets fly true, wounds change how your character moves, and losing your loot can be catastrophic. It is a harsh world where players trade weapons, ammunition, and provisions.
War Thunder is another benchmark title. It features 2,000+ vehicles, from Soviet T-34 tanks to German Tigers. Rather than sending players into a magical fantasy realm, the game drops them into history, including set-piece battles such as the Battle of Kursk.
A long-running cult classic is Space Rangers (developer: Elemental Games, 1C). It is an expansive open-space war-and-adventure sandbox, packed with dozens of races, factions, and random events. The interface may look like it came from another era, but it does not diminish the experience – if anything, it adds charm. Fans love the humor, freedom of choice, and the feeling that your own path can become a cosmic success story.
Experimental Ballet Action as Slasher and the Most Brutal Horror as Shooter
Russian studios keep proving they can build distinctive worlds, experiment with mechanics, and grow their own ecosystem. That is why players are watching upcoming releases closely. One of the most talked-about projects is Tsarevna from WattStudio. The developers lean into Slavic culture, betting on rich visuals and a story designed to pull players in.
Industry observers say Tsarevna takes inspiration from Bayonetta, the Japanese series by PlatinumGames, but the Russian team pushes the combat concept further. Tsarevna is billed as the world’s first “ballet action slasher,” with a combat system built around choreography and blending dance with fighting. The heroine’s movement was created using motions performed by Bolshoi Theater ballerina Alyona Kovalyova. Each fight is framed not as a routine combo string, but as a staged performance where classical techniques intersect with pirouettes. Release is expected in 2026.
Another ambitious title is War of the Worlds: Siberia from 1C Game Studios. It is pitched as a classic linear adventure in the spirit of Uncharted, Gears of War, and The Order: 1886. The game reimagines H. G. Wells’ novel: the story shares a universe with the original, but shifts the action to the Russian Empire. Characters are voiced by actors from Moscow’s M. N. Yermolova Drama Theatre. Release is not expected before 2027.
Fans of extreme body-horror and gore may be drawn to the announced shooter ILL. Its trailer has already been watched more than 2.7 million times. For Russian developer Team Clout, it would be a debut – yet the goal is huge: to ship the industry’s most brutal horror shooter. The team has not disclosed a release window.
Quality and investment
Russian game development is increasingly building an ecosystem where domestic distribution platforms act as the main growth driver. Those platforms can help lesser-known developers and new players get discovered. Debut teams often start small, then quickly recalibrate for a bigger audience.
Today’s market also gives studios outside major hubs a real shot: grants, accelerators, and platforms can help them break out fast. Rapid growth brings its own constraints, with the most obvious being a talent shortage. To expand the pipeline, universities are opening new tracks and launching dedicated courses.
There is little doubt that 2025 was a breakout year for Russia’s video game industry. Rising interest in Russian titles at home and abroad has been fueled by a noticeable lift in product quality. Analysts expect the market to keep growing, provided investment levels hold and the talent pool expands.
