A Russian game developer is working on a tactical single-player strategy game based on the country’s invasion of Ukraine, covering significant moments of the conflict.

The game, developed by Studio 22, will be titled ‘Squad 22: ZOV,’ and is being made in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence. According to the Russian newspaper Izvestia, the game will cover significant moments of the conflict, starting from 2014 in Donbas, and covering the 2022 assault on Mariupol, the 2023 counteroffensive and the capture of Avdiivka in 2024.

Speaking to Izvestia, a representative of the ministry revealed that it is working with the developer ostensibly to provide assistance to “ensure the plausibility of all the events” in the game. This is likely an effort to make sure the game matches the official narrative of the Kremlin.

"The game’s consultants are real participants in the Special Military Operation, particularly Hero of Russia Vladislav (Struna) Golovin, who serves as an expert on military tactics and the Mariupol campaign," Colonel Eduard Maslovsky, an official in the Army’s Military-Political Directorate, told Izvestia. 

Those playing the game will be charged with controlling a squad from a top-down perspective, managing real-time movement, with events unfolding based on players' decisions. The developers have cited inspiration from the Romanian tactical game Door Kickers 2, which is often used by instructors for training purposes, particularly in building assault scenarios.

The game is expected to launch in December 2024 exclusively on VK Play, the gaming platform operated as part of the VK social network.