What Is Atomic Heart, And Why Are People Saying You Shouldn't Buy It?

Atomic Heart has had many gamers excited for its release since it was first announced in 2018. The devs managed to keep up interest with a steady output of teasers and videos, while the game enjoyed coverage in many major gaming magazines and review blogs.

The game was touted to be a mix of Bioshock and Fallout, set in an alternate universe Soviet Russia that is emboldened with an advanced technology— but sometime in 2023, conversations about the game and its devs shifted. Here's the down-low on why some people are calling for a boycott of the highly anticipated video game, Atomic Heart.

What Is Atomic Heart?

Atomic Heart is a first-person-shooter role-playing game that takes place in a research hub in an alternative universe Soviet Union, in 1955. After inventing a cutting-edge programmable liquidized module called "Polymer," the Soviets managed to make large strides in the fields of robotics and energy generation in the U.S.S.R. However, a failed attempt at linking humans and robots with the Polymer sends the research hub into chaos, leaving the protagonist with the task of managing the hub and curtailing haywire robots, while battling his own deteriorating mental state.

Who Is Developing Atomic Heart, And When Will It Be Released?

The game is developed by Mundfish, an international studio based out of Cyprus, an island nation in the Mediterranean Sea. Their official website's "about" section notes that the dev team is comprised of coders from Poland, Ukraine, Austria, Georgia, Israel, Armenia, the UAE, and Serbia. However, some internet users have noted that previous press coverage indicated that the game's four founders are Russian.

The game is set to release on February 21st, 2023, published by Mundfish in CIS (Eurasia), 4Divinity in Asia, and Focus Entertainment everywhere else.

Why Are People Calling To Boycott Atomic Heart?

The 2022 Russian Invasion Of Ukraine has led to some gamers noting that revenue from Atomic Heart sales could, theoretically, be siphoned off into the country's war efforts. This notion was popularised by the YouTuber Harenko, who posted a video titled "Please, Don't Buy Atomic Heart," which subsequently became the subject of various memes.

Interestingly enough, news about Atomic Heart's supposed Russian connections came around the same time as the calls to boycott Hogwarts Legacy, leading to some making memes about how they will gleefully be buying buy both games.

What About Those Sexy Robot Twins?

A January 2023 trailer for Atomic Heart featured a pair of tall, statuesque and faceless robot women, which unsurprisingly caught the attention of "down bad" gamers everywhere. Photos of the women, dubbed "The Twins," being edited into sexual positions began making the rounds, leaving OG fans of the series disappointed about the hype around the game being rerouted from
Bioshock meets Fallout meets Soviet redux, to sexy robot unga bunga.

For the full history of Atomic Heart, be sure to check out our entry on the game here for even more information.