Atomic Heart composer donating earnings to Red Cross in protest of Russian invasion of Ukraine

Atomic Heart's composer will donate fees earned from the game to charity in solidarity with Ukraine's opposition to Russia's invasion.

Earlier today, on February 14, composer Mick Gordon posted the lengthy message below to his Twitter account. The Atomic Heart composer reveals he began work on the game in April 2020, nearly two years before Russia declared war on Ukraine in February 2022, but will now be donating his entire fee from Atomic Heart in support of Ukraine. 

My musical contribution to #AtomicHeart will also support a greater cause. I've donated my fee to @RedCrossAU’s Ukraine Crisis Appeal to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.If you're able to, please consider donating.Together we can make a difference. #SupportUkraine pic.twitter.com/ADVZiWafw8February 14, 2023

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Gordon writes how Atomic Heart's "unique aesthetic," along with his personal love for "Soviet-era synthesizers," immediately compelled him to work on the game with developer Mundfish. The composer maintains that working with the Russian developer was an "absolute delight," and says he still can't wait to hear his music in the final version of Atomic Heart.

Despite this, Gordon will donate his entire fee from Atomic Heart to the Australian Red Cross' Ukraine Crisis Appeal. The composer remains "horrified" at "Putin's army" escalating the war in Ukraine, and hopes his donation will make a difference for the people of Ukraine, asking followers to donate to the Australian Red Cross as well if they can.

Gordon's statement paints his work with Mundfish in a positive light. Earlier this year, the Cyprus-based Russian developer was heavily criticized for their anti-war statement, which namely stopped short of actually naming the Russian war against Ukraine, an aspect which critics argued meant Mundfish's statement had little meaning or intent behind it.

Additionally, it was alleged the studio was collecting data for Russian authorities last month. Mundfish denied the allegations, claiming that the section of their website that highlighted this data harvesting was outdated, and the section has since been removed entirely. This, and the studio's statement on the Russo-Ukraine war, has seen some Atomic Heart fans say they wouldn't be playing the game come launch later this month on February 21.

Head over to our new games 2023 guide for a look at all the other new titles launching in the coming weeks and months.