Alexey Goreslavsky, CEO of the Internet Development Institute (IRI), has stated that Russia could achieve complete import substitution in its computer game industry within the next three to five years.
Speaking at the Russian Internet Governance Forum (RIGF), Goreslavsky acknowledged that the gaming sector presents the most significant challenge for import substitution compared to other media like film and TV series.
He explained that video game development requires substantially greater investments and resources, which slows the transition of audiences to Russian-made projects. Goreslavsky emphasized the inherent difficulty in building a full-fledged alternative to foreign games and reorienting an entire generation of users. Nevertheless, he expressed strong confidence that this ambitious goal is attainable with the right strategic approach.
To underscore the potential for success, Goreslavsky cited data from VCIOM (Russian Public Opinion Research Center). According to their surveys, the audience share for Russian TV series has seen a remarkable increase: from approximately 70% during the 2022–2023 season to 85% by 2025. Concurrently, interest in international projects has declined, falling from 56% to 40%. This trend, he suggested, demonstrates the viability of successful domestic content substitution.