EA Blocks Access to Games in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, Treating Ukrainian Cities as Sanctioned Territories
Electronic Arts (EA) — one of the world’s largest video game developers, publishers, and distributors — has restricted access to its games for Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk, and Donetsk residents. While the embargo on Russian-occupied regions might seem understandable, Ukrainian gamers are outraged that cities still under Ukrainian control are being treated the same way.
What Happened
According to DOU, in October, Battlefield 6’s publisher blocked access to its games for players from the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia. On EA’s official forum, users reported they could no longer play Battlefield 6, Apex Legends, or FC 25 — even when using a mobile internet connection.
Recently, EA confirmed that several Ukrainian regions are indeed subject to sanctions, making its games inaccessible there. These include the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
A link shared by an EA community manager leads to a page titled «Why are EA games unavailable in some countries or regions,» which states:
«EA must adhere to certain embargoes, sanctions, or laws, so our games sometimes won’t be available in certain places. We know this can be frustrating for players in those impacted locations. If embargoes, sanctions, or laws are changed to allow your location to access our library, we’ll work hard to get you access as soon as possible. We’ll keep this page updated with the locations that are impacted.»
The full list of restricted territories currently includes Belarus, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
On the EA forum, users emphasize that Zaporizhzhia and Kherson are Ukrainian cities not occupied by Russia and, therefore, should not be subject to sanctions. So far, EA has not responded to these complaints.
Why It Matters
Although parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions remain temporarily occupied by Russian forces, the cities themselves are under Ukrainian control. Back in 2022, the Putin regime unilaterally «included» the so-called «DNR» and «LNR,» along with the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, in the Russian Constitution as subjects of the Russian Federation. It appears that EA is basing its restrictions on Russian law, which, however, is completely disconnected from reality.
As DOU points out, public backlash has previously influenced EA’s decisions toward more pro-Ukrainian stances. For example, after an appeal from Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, the company officially began accepting payments in hryvnias. The publication urges users to continue raising their voices on EA’s forum and social media to correct what it calls a «shameful mistake.»
EA Blocks Access to Games in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, Treating Ukrainian Cities as Sanctioned Territories
Electronic Arts (EA) — one of the world’s largest video game developers, publishers, and distributors — has restricted access to its games for Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk, and Donetsk residents. While the embargo on Russian-occupied regions might seem understandable, Ukrainian gamers are outraged that cities still under Ukrainian control are being treated the same way.
What Happened
According to DOU, in October, Battlefield 6’s publisher blocked access to its games for players from the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia. On EA’s official forum, users reported they could no longer play Battlefield 6, Apex Legends, or FC 25 — even when using a mobile internet connection.
Recently, EA confirmed that several Ukrainian regions are indeed subject to sanctions, making its games inaccessible there. These include the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
A link shared by an EA community manager leads to a page titled «Why are EA games unavailable in some countries or regions,» which states:
«EA must adhere to certain embargoes, sanctions, or laws, so our games sometimes won’t be available in certain places. We know this can be frustrating for players in those impacted locations. If embargoes, sanctions, or laws are changed to allow your location to access our library, we’ll work hard to get you access as soon as possible. We’ll keep this page updated with the locations that are impacted.»
The full list of restricted territories currently includes Belarus, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
On the EA forum, users emphasize that Zaporizhzhia and Kherson are Ukrainian cities not occupied by Russia and, therefore, should not be subject to sanctions. So far, EA has not responded to these complaints.
Why It Matters
Although parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions remain temporarily occupied by Russian forces, the cities themselves are under Ukrainian control. Back in 2022, the Putin regime unilaterally «included» the so-called «DNR» and «LNR,» along with the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, in the Russian Constitution as subjects of the Russian Federation. It appears that EA is basing its restrictions on Russian law, which, however, is completely disconnected from reality.
As DOU points out, public backlash has previously influenced EA’s decisions toward more pro-Ukrainian stances. For example, after an appeal from Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, the company officially began accepting payments in hryvnias. The publication urges users to continue raising their voices on EA’s forum and social media to correct what it calls a «shameful mistake.»
