Vladimir Putin recently approved a list of development plans for the Kaliningrad region of Russia, and it surprisingly listed creating a Steam-like ecosystem, including a handheld device, among the key goals. Part of a new nine-point plan handed down from Putin to PM Mikhail Mishustin, the new Russian gaming platform should include desktop and portable hardware, an OS, and a cloud system for gaming. The plans, spotted by PCGamer, indicate that PM Mishustin has a “period of execution” until June 15 to assess and organize the production of the gaming machines and ecosystem.
Kaliningrad 9-point plans
From a machine translation of the official instructions, we know that this nine-point plan was precipitated by a meeting in January concerning economic development in Kaliningrad. Third on the list is the diktat regarding developing a whole new gaming ecosystem.
“Consider the issue of organizing the production of stationary and portable game consoles and game consoles, as well as the creation of an operating system and a cloud system for delivering games and programs to users,” says the Putin-approved instruction.
We see that PM Mishustin needs only to consider and create outline plans for the gaming ecosystem before the period of execution, which is set for June 15, 2024. Of course, preparing meaningful plans is still a big task, but it should be achievable enough for Mishustin to feel relatively safe standing on balconies.
Local media has already been pondering the feasibility of Russia creating a viable gaming ecosystem from scratch. Industry figures in Russia reportedly agreed that a meaningful timescale would be five to 10 years. However, given the experience deficit and time constraints, the platform might be as much as 15 years behind platforms like Steam, technologically speaking, by the time it launches.
Other reports examine why the Kaliningrad region might have been chosen for this games industry project. Kaliningrad is a Russian enclave sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland, with access to the Baltic Sea, and operating as a special economic zone (with tax and customs duty breaks, etc). The region is also home to a recently opened silicon production facility estimated to produce 200 million silicon wafers annually.
It would be better for Russian gamers if the Ukraine war ended, and sanctions followed suit, so AMD, Intel, and Nvidia hardware could be put back on the menu. If not, a ‘Russian Steam Machine’ might have to run on Baikal processing power or adopt some limp Chinese chips, for example. Russia probably has less work to do on the software side, as it already has Astra Linux for the OS, which could be made more PC gaming-friendly using Proton, following the Valve / Steam playbook.
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Brittany Vincent
Brittany Vincent has been covering gaming, tech, and all things entertainment for 16 years for a variety of online and print publications. She’s been covering the commerce space for nearly a decade. Follow her on Twitter at @MolotovCupcake.
Twitch streamer Kai Cenat hosted a game console giveaway Friday afternoon in New York City’s Union Square Park. The massive turnout of thousands of young people sowed chaos, with dozens of arrests after people threw fireworks, paint cans and other items.
Video from the scene showed fans clinging onto Cenat’s moving vehicle, and police said he was removed from the area for his safety.
Cenate, 21, is currently in custody. Police said they are reviewing potential charges including counts of inciting a riot and unlawful assembly.
As videos from the failed giveaway circulate on social media, here’s what to know about the streamer who drew the large crowd.
Who is Kai Cenat?
The Bronx native who currently resides in Atlanta is one of the most-subscribed streamers of all time on the Twitch platform.
Cenat got his social media start in 2018 on YouTube, where he posted reaction videos, vlogs and skits. He now has over 6 million followers on his Twitch account.
Cenat’s Twitch live streams feature him regularly talking directly to the “chat,” his viewers, gaming, and reacting emphatically to viral videos or new music releases.
In February, Cenat streamed 24/7 nonstop for 30 days in a row.
His viral social media stunts and humorous behavior have made him a favorite among Black celebrities and the hip-hop world. Rappers including Ice Spice, Lil Baby, and 21 Savage have streamed with Cenat.
In one viral clip of his live stream, Cenat shows himself speaking to Drake on FaceTime.
The rising social media star has also influenced the lexicon of many young people by popularizing the term, “rizz,” or, in other words, one’s ability to seduce or flirt with others.
Diversity in the streaming world
In 2021, he joined forces with AMP, “Any Means Possible,” a collective of other Black content creators. Their channel puts an unbridled spin on familiar concepts such as a rap cypher, a “Dancing with the Stars” rendition, a dating video in the spirit of “The Bachelorette,” and a “Fear Factor” challenge video.
In an interview with Complex, Cenat addressed a lack of diversity in the streaming world.
“There’s a couple of Black streamers, they just aren’t as big as the white streamers,” he said in the profile. “With me personally, I was bringing a crazy light to the culture by being on the platform and dominating and doing everything I had to do.”
Clashes with Twitch
Although he is one of Twitch’s more established stars, he has clashed with the platform in the past. On five separate occasions, he has been temporarily banned for reasons ranging from showing explicit content and passing out on stream after eating marijuana edibles.
Despite disagreeing with Twitch’s ban decisions at the time and threatening to leave the platform, Cenat continues to stream frequently. His ascent has seen him win accolades such as “Streamer of the Year” during the 12th Streamy Awards and the 2023 Streamer Awards.
In the Complex interview, he praised his loyal fanbase.
“I’ve known people in my chat that’s been watching me from two years ago and they still watch me today and they still get entertained,” he said.
“As long as I’m able to entertain people and make them happy, that’s the best thing ever.”
Uwa Ede-Osifo
Uwa Ede-Osifo is a news associate for NBC News.
Maya Brown
Maya Brown is an associate social newsgathering reporter for NBC News.
