Pokémon Company And Others Pledge Support To Ukraine Amid Crisis

The Pokémon Company said in a tweet Thursday that it will donate $200,000 to non-profit organization GlobalGiving “to provide humanitarian relief.”

“The Pokémon Company International is making an immediate donation of $200,000 to our partners at GlobalGiving,” the company said. “The nonprofit will efficiently direct the funds to community-led organizations supporting families and children affected by the crisis.”

The Pokémon Company has become a part of an increasing group of video game companies openly assisting Ukraine and denouncing Russia’s actions. CNBC reports that various corporations are suspending their products in the country amidst the crisis at hand.

Electronic Arts said Wednesday it would eliminate all Russian teams from its FIFA series of games.

“EA Sports stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people,” it said in a statement on Twitter. “In line with our partners at FIFA and UEFA, EA Sports has initiated processes to remove the Russian national football team all Russian clubs from EA Sports FIFA products.”

Ukrainian Digital Minister Mykhailo Fedorov reached out to Microsoft and Sony, asking them to discontinue all Russian and Belarusian accounts and to call off organized events in the two countries.

Nintendo has also confirmed that its eShop, where consumers can buy games digitally, has had its payment processing suspended in Russia. The news was shared on the company’s Russian website. “Nintendo eShop in Russia is temporarily placed into maintenance mode,” a Google translated description of the update reads. The suspension does not seem to be Nintendo’s own decision, however, as the statement concludes that the company apologizes “for any inconvenience caused.”