Details Unveiled on Putin’s ‘Sovereign’ Gaming Consoles: One Features Elbrus CPU, the Other Resembles a Chinese Model — Russian Government Concedes They’re No Match for PS5 or Xbox

Considering sovereign computing, you often see projects stumble due to a lack of resources, or they end up as mere knockoffs, losing any sense of authenticity. In light of recent events, when President Putin commanded the creation of a Russian game console this past spring, the industry ended up taking two distinct paths. According to reports on Habr.com, one involves developing a sovereign console using the homegrown Elbrus processor, a dual-core chip. Meanwhile, RBC has shed light on an alternative strategy involving a cloud gaming service based on affordable consumer hardware, falsely advertised as sovereign.

Delving into the Elbrus processor, it features a Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW) microarchitecture, initially designed for robust, mission-critical environments. However, when it comes to performance, reviews and benchmarks don’t paint a flattering picture. The conclusion? The Elbrus falls short, deemed “completely unacceptable” for many applications.

Anton Gorelkin, from the State Committee on Information Policy, commented on this matter. He frankly stated that it’s clear to everyone that the Elbrus processors simply can’t hold their own against competitors. The expectation for the new console isn’t that it will compete with powerhouses like the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S. This has political figures urging developers to think outside the box to address the performance limitations.

“I really hope my colleagues tackle this responsibly and create something truly groundbreaking,” shared Anton Gorelkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy. “It’s obvious: Elbrus processors don’t meet the performance levels of PS5 or Xbox yet, so we need an unconventional solution.”

This unconventional path may involve either simplifying games to match the capabilities of Elbrus CPUs—which could be a hard sell given Russian gamers’ access to top-tier global titles—or leveraging cloud computing. The latter would mean relying on stellar broadband performance and minimal latency to ensure enjoyable gaming experiences.

Interestingly, Gorelkin emphasized that this console shouldn’t just be a porting ground for older games. There should also be a focus on promoting domestic video games, adding a cultural layer to the technological venture.

Switching gears to cloud gaming, Russian gamers might be curious about a console by MTS, a leading Russian telecom company. MTS has been forthright about their product being a cloud-centric gaming solution, aptly named the MTS Fog Play platform. This offering capitalizes on budget-friendly hardware, accompanied by a controller similar to an Xbox, all priced around $50. Given this price point, it’s unrealistic to expect the console to handle even basic Android games natively. Instead, it banks on MTS’s Fog Play cloud service for gaming prowess. This service uniquely supports both remote gaming and a rental model, allowing users with higher-end PCs to enjoy MTS’s game offerings.

Though these consoles haven’t hit the market just yet, we’re keeping tabs on them and will definitely report back with performance benchmarks once available.