Sergei Sobyanin has opened a video games and animation cluster at Skolkovo
Sergei Sobyanin has opened the first stage of a new creative cluster in the Skolkovo Innovation Center—the Moscow Video Games and Animation Cluster. This unique space will serve as a base for the full-cycle development of game and animation content development, with the provision of support for developers at all stages of the process, including for entry into the Russian and international markets.
The opening of the luster was the central event of the I Moscow International Video Games Week, which is currently taking place in the capital.
“Whether we like it or not, whether we want it or not, we are more and more immersed in virtual reality, and more and more young people are getting involved in video games, animation, media content and already we are often amazed at the way young people can be absorbed by their phones, their gadgets, and not even see each other. On the one hand, such technological advances cannot be avoided. The question is, what content are they watching, what video games are they playing, and who were they created by, because nowadays these games are playing a major role in shaping their psyche, their psychology, their social skills, and even their political views. One very important issue is the question of who is creating this content, whether this is being done in Russia or abroad, for what purpose, and what ideology it is promoting. And Moscow has a very big potential to create its own video game industry. Together, in consultation with you, we have created such a hub, a center of video game production, in fact, the center of the Moscow video games industry. It’s got all the first-class infrastructure, and a preferential tax regime. And this is only the first step towards the creation of this center, the first stage. In the second phase, we will extend the area, with more than 70,000 square meters of additional space. There will be a media center, an animation center, combining video games, animation and media. A unique hub will be created, and naturally this will be competitive not only in Russia but internationally. I doubt there are many centers like this in the world,” Sergei Sobyanin said, in an address to Moscow video game producers.
The decision to create a creative cluster in Skolkovo was made by the Mayor of Moscow following a dialog with industry representatives.
Many world capitals have decided to focus on creating clusters where companies from the same or related industries are concentrated. There are examples of this in China, Brazil, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other countries. However, there is no cluster like the one being created in Skolkovo, specializing in video games, animation and media technologies, all together.
The creative cluster at Skolkovo is designed to become the world’s first full-cycle ecosystem for the development of animation, video-game content and media products, and will attract major industry players: studios, publishers, investors, media and educational institutions. For this purpose, the site will be equipped with all the necessary specialized infrastructure, and its residents will have access to a full range of financial and non-financial support measures.
The Video Games and Animation Cluster, which opened in November 2025, is the first phase of the creative cluster at Skolkovo. It includes three buildings with a total area of 55,000 square meters and providing a full-cycle infrastructure for video game and animation developers. It offers the following facilities:
— a data center;
— a motion capture studio to create realistic graphics comparable in quality to those used in movies;
— a recording studio for soundtracks, background effects and voiceovers;
— a photogrammetry studio;
— a screening room cinema facility with high-resolution displays and accurate color reproduction for viewing and correcting finished materials.
In addition, the cluster has the largest media screen in Russia with an area of about 800 square meters. It is located around the entire perimeter of the atrium, without obstructing the panoramic views and natural light. At the center of the composition is a digital installation unparalleled in the world. It is an umbrella-style architectural structure with a 191 square meter media surface.
“The cluster also houses offices, exhibition spaces, co-working zones, an educational lecture hall, a cyber-sports arena and recreation areas—all the facilities needed for comfortable work,” the Mayor of Moscow wrote in his channel in the MAX messenger.
Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s channel on the messenger MAX
As a result of a competitive selection process, 41 companies, 33 video game and eight animation studios, became residents of the video game and animation cluster. Among them are the leading Russian video game developers Game Art Pioneers, Watt Studio, Geeky House, Black Caviar Games, Terrabyte Games, and the animation studios Aeroplan, Yarko and Platoshka, among others.
The cluster’s partners include 24 leading companies in the Russian video game and IT industry. Among them are Sber, VK, MTS, the Internet Development Institute and other large holdings that provide technological support and expertise for residents’ innovative projects.
Cluster residents can take advantage of the benefits offered by the Skolkovo Foundation. These include a zero rate of income and property taxes (for 10 years), exemption from VAT (except for VAT paid when importing goods into Russia), and 100 percent reimbursement of customs duties on goods for research activities, among other support measures.
“We have valuable experience in that we have created a film industry cluster in Moscow, including Moskino, the Moskino Platform and Moskino Park. The same logic can be followed here. It is also a very important direction for the economy, for the country, and in general for people who are ready to consume products and play games that have been developed based on a Russian platform,” added the Mayor of Moscow.
In addition, residents will receive assistance in the international promotion of their products, including at key festivals. Thus, in 2026 it is planned to organize business missions to China, Indonesia and other countries of the Asia-Pacific region.
In addition, it will regularly host industry conferences and forums, specialized exhibitions, industry demo days and pitch sessions, hackathons and case studies of successful projects.
The second phase of the creative cluster in Skolkovo is scheduled to open in 2026. The facility, with a total area of 74,000 square meters, will include specialized infrastructure for companies engaged in the development of technological solutions in the field of media and animation, including a data processing center, an equipment testing area and a virtual production studio. There will also be offices for startups and specialized companies.
As a result, the total area of the creative cluster will reach 129,000 square meters.
The creation of such a cluster in Skolkovo will strengthen Moscow’s position as a global center for the creative industries. Russian developers will be able to create competitive world-class content and expand their presence in international markets by popularizing Russian culture and values through video games and animation.
Video games and animation are key sectors of Moscow’s creative industries
The video game industry is one of the most dynamic sectors of the city’s economy, and computer games have long been an important form of recreation and entertainment for citizens of all ages.
Forty-five percent of Russian video game companies are registered and operate in Moscow. As of the end of 2024, five percent of the games produced in the world were created in the capital.
An estimated eight million people in the capital city play video games. According to a comprehensive study of the development of the gaming industry in Moscow, conducted by the Creative Industries Agency in cooperation with the National Agency for Financial Research in 2023 (sample—1,500 Moscow residents), 53 percent of the city’s residents played video games every or almost every day during the preceding few months. 26 percent of Moscow residents who are fond of video games would themselves like to take part in their development.
Moscow residents spend over 120 billion rubles each year on buying video games, which represents more than 70 percent of the total spending of the Russian population on game purchase. Moreover, Russian-developed games accounted for 47 percent of all spending on video games by Moscow residents.
The most popular devices used for video gaming are a cell phone or tablet (74 percent), a computer or laptop (48 percent), and a video game console (9 percent).
Moscow is also a leader in Russia’s animation industry. There are 42 animation studios in the capital. They produce 6,900 minutes of content per year, over 70 percent of the national total.
It is expected that by 2030, the capital’s studios will increase production by a factor of 1.5, to 10,200 minutes of content per year.
MosHub—Skolkovo business space
A new business space, MosHub—Skolkovo has been created as part of the Moscow Video Games and Animation Cluster. The Moscow Department of Information Technologies, in partnership with Russian IT-companies, plans to hold gaming industry-related conferences, round tables, mitaps, educational programs and other events there.
The MosHub—Skolkovo business space includes:
— a conference hall seating up to 150 people, equipped with a modern screen and duplicate multimedia panels supporting simultaneous translation and Hi-End sound;
— a media center for holding press conferences, briefings, live broadcasts and other media events;
— the mos.Tech demo center, where visitors can learn how the solutions of the Mos.Tech urban technology platform, from software development tools to user workplaces and security systems, help creators and developers of digital products, services and infrastructure;
— a 5G-democenter, a specialized platform with an isolated fifth-generation communications network, where high-tech companies and startups can finalize and test solutions using 5G technology, and the city can be provided with tools to assess the need and efficiency of implementing these technologies in various spheres of city maintenance. Developers can apply for participation in the program on the website of the Moscow Innovation Cluster.
During the Moscow International Video Games Week the 5G-demo center at the MosHub—Skolkovo business space will present innovations including:
— the Patrol robot (Gumich RTK LLC), an autonomous robot for patrolling territories during daylight and nighttime hours, equipped with a 360-degree camera and thermal imager, a loudspeaker and siren, face recognition technology and emergency services calling systems;
— AeroMed (Argenta Ltd.), a VR simulator for training air medical teams in the provision of first aid during an airborne medical evacuation;
— A VR- bionic vision simulator (Sensor-Tech LLC), a virtual simulator recreating a picture of the world for patients with an Elvis V neuroimplant, developed to train specialists in rehabilitation and other fields in specialists working with patients following the implantation of visual prostheses;
— Iskar, (Inline Group JSC), an industrial augmented reality platform for remote interactions with employees in real time, that can be used to give advice, provide training, and increase efficiency and work safety at production facilities, including in the construction and housing and utilities sectors.
Moscow International Video Games Week
The I Moscow International Video Games Week began on 27 November, and will last until Sunday, November 30. The event took in more than 330 city sites, including computer clubs, electronics stores and specialized educational institutions.
About 200 experts from Russia and 20 foreign countries, including China, India, Vietnam and Kazakhstan, will take part in the business program. They will discuss the future prospects for the gaming industry, as well as promotional tools, support measures and the opportunities to create virtual worlds based on a country’s national color and historical heritage. In addition, meetings will be held between Russian and foreign representatives of the gaming industry to discuss the implementation of joint projects.
Among the key speakers were Minh Le, a leading developer of computer games and co-creator of Counter-Strike, Alexander Egorov, Head of Media and Indie Business at VK Play, Andrey Voronkov, Deputy Director General of the Internet Development Institute, Alexey Koptsev, CEO of Cyberia Nova, Maxim Fler, President of the Moscow Computer Sports Federation, Mikhail Akulov, co-founder and CEO of publishing holding Hobby World, Artemiy Bolshakov, CEO of Game Art Pioneers, Jove (Konstantin Kazakov), a popular gamer and streamer, Vitaly Petrov, the first Russian Formula 1 driver, Vitaly Kazunov, editor-in-chief of the iXBT Games portal, and Mikhail Shkredov, his deputy.
The Skolkovo Innovation Center will host business events in four theme-based blocks:
— Industry Techniques, focusing on the basic steps involved in creating a successful game from idea to finished product, and on marketing strategies;
— The Player in is Control, focusing on how to keep users engaged in the long term and what kind of specialists the industry needs;
— The Gaming Ecosystem, focusing on government support and strategic partnerships, legal aspects of the gaming industry and success stories of small teams;
— Industry Trends, focusing on issues related to the future of the industry.
In addition, anyone interested is welcome to visit the large-scale exhibition, in which more than 60 Moscow companies present their projects and game novelties. Among the exhibitors are leading game developers and Russian game publishers, including 1C Game Studios, Fogame, and Astrum Entertainment. In addition, among the exhibitors are the publisher of the cult graphic novel Tiny Bunny, and EMP Esports, the developer of the first Russian motorsports racing simulator, featuring Russian tracks and cars.
The program of Moscow International Video Games Week also includes master classes on game creation, screenings of thematic films, lectures and cyber tournaments. Members of computer clubs from 83 regions of Russia will participate in the cyber tournaments.
On November 28-29, the Moscow Cluster of Video Games and Animation at Skolkovo will host the following events:
— a NBA 2K show tournament, the Moscow Game Hub Basket Cup. The participants will include professional basketballers who have played in the Media Basket tournaments: the Rocket Team, AUF Team, Blatosphera, Hoops, with one of the best Russian basketball players, NBA champion Timofey Mozgov, playing for the Rocket Team;
— the finals of the qualifying games for the Point Blank World Championship, organized by the Fogame gaming platform. The strongest teams will compete for the opportunity to represent the country at PBIC 26, and the audience will be able to witness the match in real time;
— the Moscow Cybersport Super Cup, organized in partnership with the Computer Sports Federation of Moscow. It will be attended by popular streamers and current players in the League of Legends discipline: General_HS, Nomanz, Diamondprox, Dimill.
One of the most exciting events in Moscow International Video Games Week will be Video Games Night, which will be held from November 29 to 30 at the VK Play Arena. For one night, the Arena will be transformed into a computer club with interactive zones combining online and real-world formats, immersing guests in the gaming atmosphere. Visitors will be able to visit the retro games zone and participate in master classes on board games, visit the free play zone and a take part in a game tournament in popular disciplines. Among the high profile guests of the program will be Counter-Strike world champion Mikhail Dosia Stolyarov and well as famous gaming streamer and cybersports athlete Dmitry Osintsev. There will also be performances by Dj Smash and the Tony Watkins Band (fronted by the Irish musician Tony Watkins), and the CEO of Astrum Entertainment, the company known as the publisher of Atomic Heart, will address the event.