Ukrainian Developer Able to Relocate Thanks to Epic Games Grant
Ukrainian developer Frogwares, most known for its Sherlock Holmes games, has secured a grant from Epic Games which will allow the team the opportunity to relocate. The war in Ukraine has been raging on since February 2022, leading to families being forced from their homes, people losing their jobs, and much more. It's a devastating affair that has had a tremendous impact on everyone living there, resulting in some taking arms to fight against Russia's forces. Frogwares has somehow remained somewhat operational during this time, but it has been impacted by the war.
Frogwares' Alex Striuk took to the company's blog to announce they had received an Epic MegaGrant from Epic Games. The grant is issued by the Fortnite and Unreal Engine developer to assist with "creative, noteworthy, and innovative projects built in and around Unreal Engine, and to projects that enhance the open source 3D graphics ecosystem". The grants can range from $5,000 – $500,000, but it's unclear how much Frogwares was given. Nonetheless, Frogwares plans to use the funds to help relocate its employees and provide some sustainability to the people who have already been able to gain some distance from the war.
"The war has negatively affected our production workflows and led to the partial disorganization of our studio", said Striuk. "The funds from the Epic MegaGrant will be crucial in relocating employees to safer areas and will help those who've moved to remote regions of Ukraine, or to other nations in the EU, maintain their financial stability. [...] In short, the Epic MegaGrant will be used to soften the financial blow from the war and stay on our feet, and we'd like to thank Epic Games for their support during this trying time."