The russian people still deserve to earn a wage, to pay for their necessities

While I can't say that Saber for sure works this way, but every studio I know of pays a salary, and the sales of the game don't factor in (with the exception of bonuses and maybe shady practices around contracted QA). The article even states they are busy working on their next game, so those people are currently being paid.

I don't believe anyone is calling out the employees in this situation. I think the difference is agency. I can choose whether or not to spend money on the game, thereby choosing whether or not to send money to the Russian government. A Russian employee does not have that choice, much like people in the US don't have a choice to pay taxes that fund a genocide. People buying leisure items do have that choice, though.