12 days ago, Russian army invaded Ukraine and every day since then is killing its people and destroying its infrastructure. Our friends in the Ukrainian games studios are now forced to defend their homeland, while their parents and children are fleeing the war as refugees.
Some of you may know that Gremlins, Inc. was born during in 2013 and 2014 while we prototyped and experimented in Kyiv, Moscow and Stockholm. The streets that we walked while discussing the game are now being bombed by Russian artillery. The game designer who invented the game's concept is sheltering in Kyiv, with the air raid sirens sounding in the city. The artist who created all of the game's card art changed his pencil for a rifle, joining the territorial defence.
This is the time of grief. So much pain and destruction is being inflicted. We are a small team, and we are doing what we can, helping the vulnerable friends as much as we can... while we watch Russia killing and maiming innocent people. Sadly, these thousands of dead are just the beginning of the humanitarian catastrophe as many more will die of disease or lack of medicine and care in the coming weeks.
At the same time, those in our team who are based in Russia face another war: the war of the Russian police on Russia's own population. Call the war a war, ask for peace – and get beaten up, arrested and tortured, facing up to 15 years in jail. The thugs paid by the state brutalise peaceful citizens to keep them silent.
While our hearts break for the victims of the war, whether bombed or arrested, we will do our best to continue developing and operating our games. This is not the only conflict that is happening in the world right now, it's just that it affects us in a very direct and personal way.
With all of our hearts, we wish this war to stop. We will do our best to support our friends who suffer from this war in Ukraine, as well as our friends in Russia who protest against this war. These are difficult times. Let's please be kind and helpful to each other, as much as we can.