Putin’s Plans Revealed: Russian Gaming Consoles with Elbrus Processors and Chinese Replicas Fall Short Against PS5 and Xbox, Government Acknowledges

When it comes to the world of sovereign computing, efforts can either flop due to resource shortages or end up resembling subpar imitators, losing their sovereign identity. Following President Putin’s directive in the spring to craft a uniquely Russian gaming console, the nation seems to be exploring two distinct paths. On one side, Habr.com highlights plans to develop a console based on the Elbrus processor, a homegrown dual-core chip. Meanwhile, RBC reports on efforts to establish a cloud gaming service using affordable, consumer-grade hardware, labeling it as a sovereign endeavor.

Russia’s gaming console project revolves around the Elbrus processor, a chip that relies on a Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW) microarchitecture, traditionally designed for demanding, mission-critical applications. Performance-wise, Elbrus falls short, with benchmarks suggesting it’s “completely unacceptable” for most conventional tasks.

This new console won’t compete head-to-head with heavyweights like the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S in terms of performance, prompting Russian officials to encourage developers to think outside the box to overcome these challenges.

“I hope my colleagues will tackle this assignment with utmost responsibility and innovate something truly transformative,” remarked Anton Gorelkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy. “It’s clear to everyone: Elbrus processors aren’t on par with the PS5 and Xbox, so we must explore unconventional solutions.”

One such innovative approach might involve simplifying games to a level that Elbrus CPUs can manage—though the Russian gaming community, still enjoying world-class titles, may shun these ‘simplified’ offerings. Alternatively, leveraging cloud rendering and computing could be an option, but this would necessitate gamers having flawless, low-latency internet connections to enjoy their experiences seamlessly.

Interestingly, Gorelkin emphasized that this console shouldn’t just be a vehicle for rehashing older games, but should also help elevate domestic game development.

Shifting our focus to another development in Russian gaming, telecommunications giant MTS is crafting a console—more accurately, a cloud gaming service. MTS has been quite forthcoming in admitting that its console is a cloud-based venture, known as the MTS Fog Play platform.

Priced around $50, this device integrates low-end hardware and an Xbox-style controller. Given the modest price tag, it can’t render even basic Android games natively and will depend on MTS’s Fog Play cloud service. This service supports remote gaming and a rental model, allowing those with powerful PCs interested in MTS’s titles to rent games while leveraging their own hardware.

Neither of these consoles has hit the market yet, but we’ll be on the lookout to see how they perform once they do.