Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, the Motherland is embarking on the development of game consoles, but must face major technological challenges.
Tl;dr
- Russia is developing two console projects: one based on the Elbrus processor, the other on a cloud gaming platform called Fog Play.
- The performance of Elbrus is considered insufficient to compete with international standards, while Fog Play depends on a stable internet connection.
- These projects illustrate Russia's digital sovereignty ambitions, but face major technological and economic challenges.
An ambitious presidential order
Last spring, Vladimir Putin ordered the development of a Russian gaming console capable of competing with giants like Sony's PS5 and Microsoft's Xbox Series XIS. This initiative is part of a desire for technological sovereignty, but the path seems strewn with pitfalls. Two main avenues are being explored: a console based on the Russian Elbrus processor and a cloud solution developed by MTS. However, these projects are already struggling to convince, as the material and technological limitations are glaring. The objective is to overcome these challenges through new and innovative approaches.
The Elbrus trail: a risky bet
The Elbrus processor, at the heart of one of the consoles considered, uses a VLIW (Very Long Instruction Word) architecture intended for critical loads. However, available benchmarks reveal very limited performance, described as “unacceptable” for many modern tasks. Russian developers will therefore have to imagine simplified games adapted to the capabilities of the Elbrus. However, these games may not appeal to an audience accustomed to international quality titles. Policymakers are hoping for revolutionary solutions, but the challenge is immense given current industry standards.
Le cloud gaming : la solution MTS Fog Play
The second option is based on cloud gaming with the Fog Play platform from the operator MTS. This economical console, at around $50, has basic hardware and comes with a controller resembling that of the Xbox. To compensate for its hardware weaknesses, the system relies on the cloud for game processing and rendering. However, this solution relies heavily on a fast and stable internet connection, a logistical challenge in Russia. Still, this project could pave the way for a game rental and streaming model for gamers with more powerful hardware.
Ambitions faced with market realities
Russian ambitions to develop sovereign consoles are laudable but face technological and economic constraints. Elbrus processors are far from competing with world standards, and MTS cloud gaming seems a temporary solution, rather than a real sovereign product. In addition, local games will have to appeal to an audience accustomed to quality international productions. For the moment, neither project is available on the market, but their success will depend on their ability to overcome these obstacles and offer a real alternative. The road still seems long to compete with Sony and Microsoft.
