The video game studio "Lesta Games" has encountered serious financial problems — debt collection totaling over 11 billion rubles has been initiated against its structures. The main debt — 11.4 billion rubles — is attributed to the legal entity "Lesta Games Agency" and is directed to the benefit of the Russian Federation's budget. Approximately 240 million rubles are being recovered from another company within the group.
The situation is complicated by the fact that the studio's assets are already under the management of Rosimushchestvo, and the debts themselves could seriously impact their sale prospects.
"Lesta" is known for the games "World of Tanks" and "World of Warships". Previously, the company was part of Wargaming, but after the holding company left the Russian market, the studio became independent. Later, its assets were transferred to the state, and former head of VK, Boris Dobrodeev, took over management.
According to estimates by the Prosecutor General's Office, the value of the entire group reaches 135 billion rubles, but the current obligations appear critical: the debt amount is comparable to the annual revenue. Experts warn that a one-time recovery could lead to default or even bankruptcy.
One possible reason for such a large debt is an attempt to recover funds that may have been withdrawn before nationalization. Previously, the court had already recorded similar episodes, including the transfer of 150 million rubles to third-party projects under existing restrictions.
Despite the pressure, activity within the company remains: "Lesta" continues to recruit employees, which may indicate plans to stay in the market. The studio itself states that what is happening "does not affect the operation of games and the company's plans".