Sherlock Holmes Studio has received funding from Epic Games to help in the relocation of employees from Ukraine

Epic is making donations to Frogwares in order to "soften the financial blow of the war and keep us on our feet."

Frogwares, the Ukrainian developer behind the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series, has announced that it is relocating some staff out of the war-torn country with funds provided by Fortnite studio Epic Games. Frogwares received an Epic MegaGrant, which it is using to help its employees relocate from Kyiv to other, more remote regions of Ukraine, or out of the country entirely.

"The war has had a negative impact on our production workflows and has resulted in a partial disorganization of our studio," Frogwares explained. The Epic MegaGrant funds will be vital in relocating employees to safer areas and will assist those who have relocated to remote regions of Ukraine or other EU nations in maintaining their financial stability."

We are proud to share that we’ve received an Epic MegaGrant from Epic Games. #EpicMegaGrants

Read our announcement for all the information: pic.twitter.com/XwShdGaQbO

— Frogwares (@Frogwares) May 16, 2022

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has also caused a "financial gap" at Frogwares, affecting the company's bottom line. Epic's funds will be used to purchase new "specialized equipment" for game development and to migrate the company's data infrastructure.

"In short, the Epic MegaGrant will be used to mitigate the financial impact of the war and keep us afloat, and we'd like to thank Epic Games for their assistance during this trying time," Frogwares said.

Frogwares did not specify the amount of the Epic grant, but it appears to be substantial.

Epic tries to give out MegaGrants for "creative, notable, and innovative projects" created "in and around" Epic's own Unreal Engine. Grants are also awarded to projects that "enhance the open-source 3D graphics ecosystem in general."

Epic says its MegaGrants are mostly used to "directly support" projects, but the company will occasionally award grants to help fund hardware purchases. Epic claims it has "sole discretion" over what grants it will approve, and assisting Frogwares staff in staying safe appears to be part of that.

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One, Frogwares' most recent release, was released in 2021.

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