Former Syrian Leader Assad Turns Out to Be a Complete Game Addict
Bashar al-Assad, once Syria’s most powerful figure, may now be spending all his time in front of a screen. According to the German newspaper Die Zeit, Assad, who lives in exile in Moscow, spends hours every day playing video games. He reportedly lives in a luxury skyscraper, devoting most of his time to gaming, only occasionally visiting the shopping mall below.
Assad Spends His Days Gaming in Moscow
According to the report, Assad fled to Russia after the fall of Damascus in December 2024 and was granted political asylum with Vladimir Putin’s approval. Since then, Assad has been living a low-profile life in Moscow, reportedly spending his days playing online games. According to Die Zeit’s sources, these gaming sessions sometimes last for hours, with Assad only occasionally visiting the shopping mall downstairs.
These claims contradict Assad’s past statements. In a 2007 interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America, he said, “I use the internet for information, I don’t play games.” However, it appears he has abandoned his old habits in his new life in exile. The 60-year-old Assad is now attracting attention as a “gamer.”
Russia granted Assad asylum on humanitarian grounds. However, among the conditions of this decision was that he refrain from political activities and avoid appearing in the media. Indeed, Assad has not been seen in public since 2024. If the allegations are true, complying with these conditions was not difficult for him; he is now engaged in a “virtual struggle” on video games instead of political discourse.
In April 2025, Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, requested Assad’s extradition from Russia. However, Moscow rejected the request. Al-Sharaa stated that this extradition was essential for Russia to maintain its military presence in Syria. The Kremlin, however, dismissed these demands as “a non-political, humanitarian matter.”
Bashar al-Assad, once a symbol of fear in his country, now lives in Moscow as a secluded, gamer enthusiast. It’s unknown what he plays, but the irony is that Assad, who years ago declared he “doesn’t play games,” now spends all his time playing games.
