Making a videogame is a tough business at the best of times, and for Ukrainian studios like Stalker 2 developer GSC Game World, these are much closer to the worst of times: Ukraine suffered a full-scale invasion by Russia in early 2022, and while the country has defended itself far more ably than many expected, it still faces relentless daily assaults in a war that's cost tens of thousands of lives.
GSC Game World has faced other challenges since the invasion began: A new office in Prague suffered a major fire just a year after it opened, and in 2023 Russian hackers leaked early Stalker 2 test builds. Some members of the development team have joined the Ukrainian armed forces to fight the Russian invasion; at least one has died.
Volodymyr gave us so many games, so many Universes... The players will always remember him.Thank you, Volodymyr. Our condolences to the family. Ukraine has lost another hero.Герої не вмирають.December 26, 2022
Understandably, Stalker 2 itself has been delayed multiple times. Speaking to PC Gamer at Gamescom, Stalker 2 technical producer Evgeniy Kulik said it's been a long, tough haul, but developers have worked hard to support each other through it.
"When we moved to the Czech Republic just after the Russian aggression, we were working very close to each other," Kulik said. "Even after work we're speaking about the game, we're making some decisions, we're constantly talking about what should be improved.
"And it really helps a lot, because we are really worried about our colleagues, our families back at home, because we have two big studios, one in Prague, of course, and we have a really big office with almost 200 people back in Ukraine, in Kyiv. And those guys are constantly working under a lot of pressure because of constant bombing, constant air raid sirens."
Now, with the finish line in sight, that internal support network is being bolstered by reactions from fans at pre-release showcases like Gamescom. There's genuine excitement for Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl—we declared it the "most wanted game" of the November 2023 PC Gaming Show—and that's carrying over to the development team.
"We're really excited about the reactions of the people," Kulik said. "They're providing us a lot of energy to look for."
"Of course we are tired. It's like a long run with so many problems that we faced during the development ... Now, we should do our best to finish this project, finish this game, and once again, release it to the public and say: Hey, we are here."
Stalker 2 is set to launch on November 20.
