Erron Kelly 
Want to know what’s next for the gaming industry? Join gaming leaders to discuss emerging areas of the industry at GamesBeat Summit Next this October. Learn more.
Back in April, Wargaming, the studio behind World of Tanks, announced that it was pulling out of Russia and Belarus. The decision to leave the two countries was a direct result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Now Wargaming announces the next step in the restructuring. The originally Belarusian company opens two new studios in Belgrade, Serbia and Warsaw, Poland. The two new studios will work to strengthen the company’s global operations.
The two new locations will be Wargaming’s sixth and seventh European offices, alongside Nicosia, Vilnius, Prague, Guildford and Berlin. The offices in Belgrade and Warsaw together will employ up to 400 people.
“Warsaw and Belgrade were the logical choice for these new locations; both are rapidly developing technology industries with enormous potential. We look forward to working closely with the IT communities of both cities to build world-class game development and publishing entities,” Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi said in a statement to GamesBeat. “Wargaming continues to move forward with big plans for the future. The Belgrade and Warsaw locations will be essential for achieving our goals.”
new purpose
The Belgrade office will host local and international development and publishing talent. In the future, the office will also become a relocation center for Wargaming employees moving from different locations. The main gaming focus of the Belgrade office will be World of Tanks and World of Warships. It will work on key services, ongoing support and potential new product development.
Wargaming Warsaw will initially host a small publishing team and most of the other staff will work virtually. Further development plans and priorities have not yet been decided. How Wargaming Warsaw develops depends entirely on the rest of Wargaming’s restructuring efforts.
The studio supports the growth of local talent by offering an internship program called Wargaming Forge alongside the opening of the Belgrade office. The program is aimed at students, graduates and local professionals. The goal is to allow them to master their skills under the guidance of experienced Wargaming leaders and mentors.
The GamesBeat creed when it comes to gaming industry coverage “where passion meets business”. What does that mean? We want to tell you how important news is to you – not only as a decision maker in a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn more about and enjoy engaging with the industry. Learn more about membership.
