New Delhi, Mar 6 (IANS): The US-based video game holding company Activision Blizzard has announced that it is suspending new sales "of and in" its games in Russia.

"We are doing everything possible to assist employees, and their families, who are being directly affected by this tragedy," Activision Blizzard president and COO Daniel Alegre said in a letter.

"If you or a colleague needs support, please don't hesitate to reach out to your manager or local HR leaders. I'd also like to remind you that our Employee Assistance Program is available to those who need emotional support during this difficult time."

In a tweet from its Newsroom account, Epic said that it was "stopping commerce with Russia in our games" as a direct result of the conflict.

Meanwhile, EA Games removed Russian teams from its FIFA and NHL games, and later cut off all sales to Russia and Belarus. Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red has also taken similar steps.

Japanese gaming giant Nintendo has temporarily put its Russian eShop into maintenance mode, the company said in a notice on its Russian website.

"Due to the fact that the payment service used in Nintendo eShop has suspended the processing of payments in rubles, Nintendo eShop in Russia is temporarily placed into maintenance mode," according to a Google-translated version of the message.

In addition, Microsoft suspended all new sales of "Microsoft products and services" in Russia, a phrasing that seems to include Xbox hardware and software.