A recent report by AIN.Capital has accused the developers of the video game Atomic Heart, Mundfish, of collecting data for Russian authorities on their shop website.
The report states that there was a clause on the website that informed users that their data could be collected and shared with Russian authorities such as the tax authority or the Federal Security Service (FSB). This has caused concern among players and the gaming community, as the developers behind Atomic Heart have long been associated with Russia.
However, the developers of Atomic Heart have denied the allegations and have pointed out that their headquarters are now located in Cyprus and that they employ an international team of developers from various countries, including Poland, Ukraine, Austria, Georgia, Israel, Armenia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, and Cyprus.
The developers claim that the privacy policies discovered by AIN.Capital are “outdated and incorrect” and that their game and website do not collect any information or data from users.
In addition to the data collection allegations, the report also states that Mundfish was funded “by Russian investors”, including an ex-Gazprom manager, and that the official address of the development studio in Moscow was indicated on the website.
The report also claims that the website’s guidelines included “Russian mobilization laws under which soldiers are currently being recruited in Russia to continue the criminal war against Ukraine.”
In response to these accusations, Mundfish has taken their shop website offline and issued a statement apologizing for any confusion and reassuring fans of the integrity of their studio and product.
The developers have also stated that they have no involvement or association with the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The impact of these allegations on the release and reception of Atomic Heart remains to be seen.
