‘Atomic Heart’ composer Mick Gordon donates fee to Ukraine Crisis Appeal

Atomic Heart composer Mick Gordon has announced that he will be donating his fee from the game to Red Cross Australia’s Ukraine Crisis Appeal.

Atomic Heart‘s Russian developer, Mundfish, recently came under fire for allegedly creating the game with funding from Russian organisations that have been sanctioned for the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

While the studio released a statement in January claiming that it was “pro-peace”, it declined to address “politics or religion” or the specifics of its financing.

Today (February 14), composer Mick Gordon has announced that he will be donating his fee from the game to the Australian Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal.

“In April 2020, Mundfish Studio approached me to contribute to the musical vision of Atomic Heart,” wrote Gordon, specifying that his work on the game started prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The game’s unique aesthetic, combined with my musician’s love for Soviet-era synthesisters, provided an exciting creative opportunity.”

“I am proud to donate my fee from the game to the Australian Red Cross’ Ukraine Crisis Appeal in support of the people of Ukraine who are heroically defending their country against aggression,” Gordon continued.

“I believe it is important to support pro-peace organisations, stand up for what is right and to help those in need, especially during times of crisis. This donation is a way for me to provide practical support to those whose lives have been impacted by the war.”

“I am honoured to use my work as a means to help those affected by the conflict,” he added.

Atomic Heart is set to launch next week (February 21) and in our preview of the game, we found that while it played like a “spiritual successor to Bioshock” in parts, its open-world elements were a “totally different beast and not in a good way.”

In other gaming news, Mojang has revealed a first look at Minecraft‘s upcoming sniffer mob, which will arrive later in the year.