The future of Russia's main game with huge ambitions.
Something interesting is constantly happening in the global game development industry. Studios are buzzing about changing partners, people are gossiping about difficult developments on forums, and insiders are desperately searching for anything secret. This rarely happens in the Russian industry – because our developments work well in the indie segment, but they often do not do anything expensive and interesting for the masses.
It is for this reason that War of the Worlds: Siberia looks so interesting. This is a game about an alien attack on Tsarist Russia – with excellent visuals, staging, animation and ambitions to become a global hit. Initially, War of the Worlds was made by 1C Game Studios, but the team recently split and partnered with Plus Studio. Why does this happen and how will it affect development? Let's find it.
“War of the Worlds: Siberia”: main content of the game
- Title: “World War: Siberia”
- Developer: “Fog”.
- Release date: 2027.
- Genre: story-driven adventure.
- Voice acting: Russian subtitles and dubbing.
- Platform: PC.
“War of the Worlds: Siberia”: how to play?
At first the game will only be released on PC, but a console release is also planned. There is currently no information on price and system requirements.
World War: What is Siberia?
This is a plot adventure based on the novel The War of the Worlds by HG Wells. But if in the book the aliens attacked Victorian England, in the game they attacked Tsarist Russia. As a result, chaos reigned on the streets of St. Petersburg. Petersburg, the people were scared and hungry, and robbers were rampant. Meanwhile, giant tripods seem to be the horsemen of the apocalypse, from which one can only flee. So the hero fled to Siberia.
The developers didn't mention the reference, but the game has long been nicknamed “The Last of Us Siberia” on the Internet. There are indeed similarities. Peaceful walks are filled with vivid details, where people run through the streets in terror and say goodbye to their lives, and criminals rob stores. The combat system features fist fighting, shooting, and stealth. And the animation in some places is reminiscent of the classics.
Even the players who found inspiration didn't swear too much. However, the game has a unique setting, looks great, and stands out from the indie games our team usually makes. In addition, the developers regularly surprise: for example, they collaborate with the Ermolina Theater and capture the movements of local actors or invite a tambourine-wielding magician to give a presentation.
Overall, “War of the Worlds: Siberia” is a promising and atypical game for the Russian market.
How War of the Worlds: Siberia became a standalone game
Initially, “War of the Worlds: Siberia” was made by 1C Game Studios. This idea was conceived at that time by the head of the company, Albert Zhiltsov, and writer Sergei Burkatovsky. Then game director Andrei Shumkov joined the team and shaped the final vision for War of the Worlds. He said that “she used to be more humble, but in the end we are still here.”
“This” is a game, the minimum participation threshold of which a few years ago was estimated at 10 million USD. The current budget is not mentioned, but in any case we are talking about a daily sum for the Western games industry and a huge sum for the Russian industry.
The reality is that even a high-quality game can fail; There are no guarantees in game development. Therefore, in current economic conditions, Russian-speaking investors rarely take risks and invest mainly with independent investors. If they do not shoot, then God will be with them, but a successful match will come at a cost. That's why 1C's decision to sponsor War of the Worlds is brave and respected.
However, on February 12, 2026, it became known that the developers of “War of the Worlds” separated from 1C Game Studios and founded an independent company “Mist”. Absolutely the entire Sibir team moved there, which made manager Albert Zhiltsov proud.
I asked: “Are you ready to take the risk? Do you personally – the artist, the screenwriter, the programmer – believe in the game enough to take the risk? All 79 people are ready.
There were talks of secession last summer. According to rumors, at that time Lesta was interested in this game and offered a price of 30 million USD. But the conversations ended when a scandal broke out around Lesta and the company changed owners.
But why think about independence if you already have a great office, team, and opportunities? We could touch on behind-the-scenes conversations about disagreements within the 1C faction, but it's better to focus on reality: the department is currently one of the most polite in the games industry. Without swearing and with respect. Representatives of 1СGS were also present at the presentation and applauded with the audience, and Albert Zhiltsov, who had been with the company for 15 years, recalled the past with warm nostalgia.
This is 15 years. Multiply them by 365 days. All these days you enter the same gate, the same door, to the same table. You get used to this place so I really miss it.
When asked about the reason for the breakup, Zhiltsov replied as follows:
“How business is done in the modern situation is a complex issue. There are sanctions, there are many different nuances, so we are not free to do business. When you become independent, you have more opportunities, more freedom in this sense.
The solution did not come from someone interfering with me. It's a matter of ambition. Because from a business perspective, I could be considered crazy. Single-player game set in Russia in 2026, some theater, some Martians, some 19th century. I'm crazy, you know? A crazy person is better to himself. Mix up your madness less. Although, of course, I don't consider myself emotional.
It is this freedom that interests me the most. Now I can attract partners and do what I need to so guys have more and more opportunities. In the previous design, at least I was limited by the fact that there was a complex shareholder structure.”
It is important that separation does not affect development. Unless the office moves two subway stations.
I work with the same team and do the same things. That office is near the subway, the new office is near the subway.
Who became a partner of “War of the Worlds”?
Albert Zhiltsov said that several potential partners are interested in the game. The main condition is independence. The choice therefore fell on Plus Studio, which not only backed the game but also saw War of the Worlds as a multimedia franchise – with TV series, comics and other third-party media.
Here's what the head of gaming at Plus Studio, Stepan Gorokhov, said:
This is full cooperation. We are developing the “Wars of the Worlds” game brand together in different directions. When participating in a project, we are not limited to just one game or just one movie project. We do not isolate ourselves in one format but try to develop the widest possible range of entertaining content for users. This is essentially the co-production and creation of multiple formats around IP.
Plus Studio does not own Haze, but the partnership allows the developers to expand their team. For example, the presentation on February 18 was held with one important goal in mind – announcing that the studio had opened new vacancies and over time plans to hire another 70 people, almost doubling the staff. If you've been dreaming of making a blockbuster without moving to Cyprus then this is your chance.
Meanwhile, Plus Studio is not above developers and does not ask about payback, Gorokhov confirmed.
Payback at this stage of the game's production, when there is still about a year before release, is not important to Plus Studio right now. The company's goal is to develop the “War of the Worlds” brand and create various content: TV series, books and other projects. We try to create something interesting and mainly entertain users. And the rest will follow.
How is 1C doing with the game now?
This isn't the first time the company has said goodbye to its assets. In 2022, she sold her subsidiary 1C Entertainment, famous for King's Bounty 2, to Tencent. 1C Entertainment later became Fulqrum and still maintains good relations with its former colleagues. It is Fulqrum that has been published on the console “Tales of Ancient Rus“, a roguelike card from 1C Game Studios.
1C is currently working on the “Caliber” shooter version and the “IL-2” franchise:
In short, everything is fine with the company's games. They have their own solvent fanbase, and the 1C Game Studios employees who worked on “Caliber” and “IL-2,” remain in their positions.
