Putin’s ‘Sovereign’ Gaming Console Plans Unveiled: Featuring Elbrus CPU and a Chinese Replica; Russian Government Concedes They Can’t Rival PS5 or Xbox

The landscape of sovereign computing can take some unexpected turns – it either struggles with insufficient resources or veers into territory that feels more like imitation than innovation. This seems to be the path Russia is navigating following President Putin’s directive to develop a homegrown gaming console. As reported by Habr.com, the Russian tech sector is exploring two avenues. One involves creating a console powered by a dual-core Elbrus processor, Russia’s own invention. The other, according to RBC, is to establish a so-called sovereign cloud gaming service utilizing budget-friendly consumer tech.

Russia’s endeavor to craft a gaming console using the Elbrus processor taps into a complex microarchitecture known as Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW), initially intended for demanding, mission-critical tasks. However, when it comes to gaming performance, Elbrus comes up short. Benchmarks consistently show that it’s not quite up to snuff for most applications.

Given that this new console isn’t on track to compete with the likes of PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S, Russian officials are urging developers to think outside the box to surmount these performance hurdles. Anton Gorelkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, urged his team to take on the challenge with full commitment in hopes of creating something truly revolutionary. “It is apparent that Elbrus processors haven’t reached the level required to match the PS5 and Xbox,” Gorelkin noted, calling for novel solutions.

One potential innovative route could be the drastic simplification of games to fit within Elbrus processors’ capabilities. However, Russian gamers used to top-tier titles might not be keen on ‘stripped-down’ versions. Alternatively, a reliance on cloud computing for rendering would mandate impeccable, low-latency internet connections for an enjoyable gaming experience.

Gorelkin also highlighted the importance of not just using this console as a vehicle for old game ports but as a platform to boost the presence of Russian-made games.

Turning to the cloud-based strategy, telecom giant MTS is diving into the gaming scene with its own creation. The MTS Fog Play platform makes no bones about its reliance on cloud technology. The device, resembling an Xbox controller, comes with a price tag of about $50. At this cost, it’s impossible to deliver a console capable of handling even basic Android games, so the system leans heavily on MTS’s cloud services. This service enables gamers to either remotely play or rent games, with those owning more powerful PCs having the option to use their own hardware.

Neither of these consoles has hit the shelves yet, but when they do, we’ll be watching closely to see how they perform in real-world benchmarks.