Russian Gamers Admit Particular Interest in Folklore-Based Games
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Game publisher and developer Astrum Entertainment asked over nine thousand Russian gamers about their attitude towards fairy tale characters and folklore themes ahead of Folklore Day. The majority of respondents mentioned the growing popularity of Russian folk themes in mainstream culture. More than half are positive about modern interpretations of Russian folklore in movies, animations, and video games.
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What gamers know about folklore
According to the survey, when asked, “What does folklore mean to you?” the vast majority (72%) answered “fairy tales, epics, and legends.” Gamers also frequently chose “mythological characters” and “folk songs, dances, and rituals” as responses. The least common association was modern folk art, such as memes.
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Father Frost and Snow Maiden, Ivan the Fool, and Ilya Muromets were named the most well-known characters of Russian folklore. Father Frost and Snow Maiden were the first to come to mind when discussing folk art, chosen by a quarter of the respondents. Russians are most drawn to the wisdom, kindness, and bravery of fairy tale characters.
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The main villains, according to the respondents, are Koschei the Immortal (40%) and Baba Yaga (30%). The least popular were Tugarin Zmey, Vodyanoy, and Kikimora.
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Attitude towards folklore in pop culture
The vast majority (77%) believe that interest in folklore within Russian pop culture will continue to grow, and 87% see this as a positive trend. Half of the respondents occasionally notice references to folklore in various media, while one in ten sees them constantly.
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The research revealed that games based on folklore plots generate heightened interest among audiences. They are particularly appealing to 65% of the surveyed gamers. Most Russians (68%) would like to see folklore characters appear more often in pop culture.
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How they play folklore-themed games
The publisher and developer also polled players of the mobile fairy tale game World of Little Domovoys to gauge their opinions on folklore in gaming projects. The majority of respondents were women (77%) aged 35-44 and 45+ who play mobile games daily.
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Among the reasons the respondents enjoy games with folklore elements are nostalgia for childhood fairy tales (82%), familiar characters (51%), the unique atmosphere compared to other games (31%), and interest in Slavic culture (15%). For these reasons, three-quarters of the respondents would like to encounter familiar fairy-tale settings more often in games, while a third would welcome plots based on epics and legends, as well as graphics stylized to look like “old times.” Over half of the players are willing to pay for additional in-game content with folklore themes.
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*Methodology
The survey was conducted among players of six major Astrum Entertainment titles (Allods Online, ArcheAge, Atomic Heart, Perfect World, Warface, and World of Little Domovoys) via online questionnaires in June 2025. A total of 9277 people participated. More than a third of the respondents have secondary vocational education, half play mobile or PC games daily, and another third play several times a week.
Astrum Entertainment is one of the biggest Russian developers and publishers of PC and mobile games. The company's portfolio includes more than 20 games, including such hits as Warface, Perfect World, Allods Online, and Atomic Heart. Astrum Entertainment works with products of different genres: MMORPG, shooters, strategies, and others. The company's highly professional team consists of pioneers of Russian game development.