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'Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl' release now set for 2023
GSC Game World hopes to release Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl next year.
‘Stalker 2’ is reportedly back in development after Ukraine invasion forced studio to relocate
GSC Game World has reportedly resumed work on Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced the studio to pause development.
'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2' is delayed until December 8th
GSC Game World says it needs seven more months for 'thorough testing and polishing.'
'S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2' won't include NFTs following fan uproar
The announcement comes a day after the studio said S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 would include NFTs.
'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2' is coming to Xbox Series X/S and PC on April 28th, 2022
Take a deeper look at gameplay from the first-person survival horror sequel.
'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2' devs are spending a lot of time on teeth
The 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2' developers made a teeth customization tool to play dentist with the horror game's characters.
'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2' gameplay teaser previews the game's 2021 launch
'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2' is set to ship in 2021, more than ten years after it was announced, and this is our first in-engine look at the PC and Xbox game
Unreal Tournament 3, STALKER games update following GameSpy shutdown
Developers continue to scramble to update their legacy products in the wake of GameSpy's recent server shutdown, with Unreal Tournament 3 and the STALKER trilogy emerging as the latest games to update in order to maintain online play. Epic Games has released a replacement executable for Unreal Tournament 3 that redirects online play requests to the game's new in-house master server. The fix works for both the retail and Steam versions of the game, and requires players to re-register their previous user names. The remaining developers at shuttered studio GSC Game World have also launched their own dedicated server for the STALKER series, releasing a series of patches with updated multiplayer clients for Shadow of Chernobyl, Clear Sky, and Call of Pripyat. Steam players will receive all needed updates automatically. [Image: Epic Games]
The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Humans Must Answer
Indie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. This week, former GSC developer and co-founder of Sumom Games, Eugeny Yatsuk, talks space chickens and shmups with Humans Must Answer. The babies are Yatsuk, co-founder Denis Matveenko and artist Olexa, by Olexa. What's your game called and what's it about?Humans Must Answer. It's a shmup, and one most will recognize as having an old-school vibe about it. You play as the pilot of a scout ship called The Golden Eagle, which is manned by chickens – they like to think they're a higher species of bird than they are.They're on the lookout for something (we're not saying quite yet) and discover it within the solar system that us humans inhabit. As it is set far into the future, humans have expanded to the other planets and set up a number of industries upon them. They also have a huge legion of robots operating for them around space. So the enemies you'll come across consist of robots and humans. Yes, humans are enemies – there are far too many plots about evil aliens when, in fact, humans are most likely more evil than anything we could fictionalize.The chickens attempt to contact them in a friendly manner but the humans respond by firing at them, which isn't particularly nice. They live to regret it though because we let you, the player, go on an explosive rampage against the aggressors. There is a purpose behind it other than mere carnage though, but that doesn't appear until later in the game's narrative.How does working on your own indie project compare to working on a larger series such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?Very different. Faster decisions and far fewer constraints. It's a very good feeling to be the author and be responsible for all aspects of the game, and not just some cogs as part of a big company.I know some guys who work on bigger projects and ownership of their creations boils down to things like, "I made that table and chair on Level 25." You start to fear for yourself when hearing this and want to avoid ever being in that situation. When I am 40 years old I'll look at what I have created in my life. I hope to be proud of it.%Gallery-170198%
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. vets form new studio, working on MMOFPS called Survarium
Veterans of Ukrainian developer GSC Game World, developers of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, have formed a new studio called Vostock Games. The company will be developing a massively multiplayer online first-person shooter called Survarium. As RockPaperShotgun reports, it will be a Stalker-like MMOFPS, as the company was unable to secure the rights to the Stalker franchise.Although S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 is officially "frozen," it feels like this brings closure to the saga that started last December, when word first spread of GSC Game World shutting down. Shortly after, the news roller coaster started, with the studio's fate lifted to uncertain, then to hopeful, and then back down again.Vostock plans to hold a Twitter Q&A tomorrow, April 26, to discuss Survarium.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 animation reel spotted
The animation video above, the work of animator Sergey Zhukov, was posted on the official S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Twitter account today. He has left GSC Game World, but according to the Twitter account "his work remains." What, like on Twitter? Sure, stuff posted there remains for the longest.After reports in late 2011 that GSC had closed its doors, spokesperson Oleg Yavorsky said a cancelation wasn't certain and outlined plans to seek funding to finish the game (so, where's the Kickstarter?). We've contacted GSC for a statement -- should we read this animation reel as proof of life? -- and will update accordingly.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 still in development, GSC seeking funds to continue
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is still in development, GSC Game World announced via the official S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Facebook page, writing, "The Stalker team is extremely happy! Why? Because we are continuing work on Stalker 2 after the holidays." GSC is celebrating, for now -- spokesperson Oleg Yavorsky said GSC is still seeking funding to support S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, according to a statement published by Edge. "We are hopeful things turn out well eventually," Yavorsky said. "The team really wants to see S.T.A.L.K.E.R. continue." In December, GSC responded to rumors that it would be shut down, saying that there was cause for hope and to await news in January. Things seem to be going well at the moment, but we have contacted GSC for clarification on its financial situation and the continued development of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. devs: 'There is cause for hope,' more news in January
GSC Game World, developer of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, was rumored to have shut down earlier this month, a move that would have affected roughly 45 employees. However, GSC still appears to be alive and kicking wiggling its legs slightly, announcing via Twitter that "there is cause for hope!" In the same tweet, GSC said it "will not be releasing any official news until around mid January," which suggests the studio will still be running in some capacity at least until then. GSC was developing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, and we can only hope for some good news in January from the studio.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. developer GSC shut down
Ukrainian developer GSC Game World, creators of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, have reportedly shut down. The details regarding the closure are currently very s.k.e.t.c.h.y. UkraNews reports, citing sources, that CEO Sergei Grigorovich told the staff in a meeting this morning that he had decided to close the company. GSC is said to have had between 40-50 employees. RockPaperShotgun, which has been on top of this story, got in touch with GSC and obtained the ominous: "Sorry, no comments at this point." STALKER 2 was expected to launch sometime in 2012. We'll update as more information becomes available. Update: Details are still a mess, but it appears GSC has been shuttered.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 could have always-on DRM, but it's out of love [update]
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will use always-on DRM as "protection from piracy," GSC Game World head Sergey Grigorovich said. A permanent internet connection will be required to load information, codes and quests, much like previous DRM systems from Ubisoft. "Software piracy is an issue for us; we try to fight it, but within reason," Grigorovich said. "If people can not afford a licensed version, it is to our advantage if they download a pirated copy and then want to buy a license. In Ukraine, there are different products that people love so much that they buy a license in principle. We want to create just such a product." Studios know fans don't enjoy always-on DRM, and their insistence on using it must mean it works in some capacity. We don't think it's the way to create "products that people love so much," but it's definitely great at making fans suspicious and bitter. [Update] GSC has clarified its intentions via Twitter: "DRM was only mentioned as a possibility, not a choice." GSC also issued a statement to Rock, Paper, Shotgun: "The idea of implementing DRM came in as a possible anti-piracy solution. You know the severe level of commercial piracy we have here in ex-USSR region. This said however, there is no firm decision to go for DRM with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 as of now. Be assured, we do realize how uncomfortable this solution is for the players, so we'll continue looking for most effective, yet acceptable for all, way of protecting the game by the time of its release."
Hunt down S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl for 99 cents
Microsoft's ridiculous Games for Windows Live holiday promotion continues, offering another game for a price worth paying even if you don't care about the game, or don't know what the game is! Today, it's S.T.A.L.K.E.R, on sale for 99 cents. It's the perfect time to catch up with the goings-on in desolate, irradiated future Chernobyl before the sequel arrives in 2012 -- or, if you're like us, it's the perfect time to add yet another game to your near-infinite backlog. It's better than spending full price for a game you'll never play, right?
Russian Stalker TV series teased
A teaser site has revealed that a TV series based on the Stalker FPS franchise is being developed for Russian television. The site is called "KinoS.T.A.L.K.E.R." ("kino" meaning "film" in Russian), has both an English and a Russian section, and was linked to by Ukraine's GSC Game World's Facebook profile. There's also a trailer on the site, subtitled in English, though it's hard to tell what's going on with all the series standards in there -- including mutants, darkness, and explosions aplenty. Still, the site clearly states that there is a "TV series coming soon" based on the property, which itself takes influence from Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 film, as well as the old science fiction story "Roadside Picnic." Stalker fans will probably be happy to hear that the series will mutate into yet another form of media.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. bundle is 75% off on Steam this weekend
Two parts of GSC Game World's eerie FPS series -- set in an alternate-reality Chernobyl following a second nuclear meltdown -- can be yours on the super cheap. Both the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl and follow-up S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat are bundled together for only $10 on Steam through Monday. (The S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky prequel game is not part of the bundle; but it's is available separately for $10 on Steam.) The full-on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 sequel was recently announced and scheduled for release in 2012. While that gives you plenty of time to get to caught up, this weekend Steam sale might just be the excuse you were looking for to book your first trip to Chernobyl. That whole nuclear meltdown incident made it quite a lovely place for scavenging, trespassing, adventuring, loner-ing, killing, exploring and robbing. See what we did there?
STALKER 2 sneaking up on a 2012 launch
Developer GSC Game World has just revealed an official sequel to the popular first-person shooter, STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl, is currently in development. A statement on the developer's official site hints at console support this time around, stating a "completely new multi-platform technology developed by GSC will make the core of the game." So long X-ray engine! "After the official sales of the series exceeded 4 million copies worldwide, we had no doubts left to start creating a new big game in the STALKER universe," said Sergiy Grygorovych, CEO of GSC Game World. "This will be the next chapter of the mega-popular game players expect from us." STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl launched in 2007 and was followed up by a prequel in 2008, called STALKER: Clear Sky. Earlier this year, GSC Game World launched STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl, an expansion that continued the events of Shadow of Chernobyl. STALKER 2 is currently slated to launch sometime in 2012.
Final day of Steam Holiday Sale wraps up the best-sellers
Okay, this is it: The penultimate batch of offers in the long-running Steam Holiday Sale. For the final day of the long-running promotion, Valve has elected to re-encheapen some of the games that sold like hotcakes in the sale's earlier one-day discounts. Until 9 a.m. PST tomorrow, the following games will be available for the following prices: BioShock - $4.99 Grand Theft Auto IV - $7.49 Torchlight - $4.99 Left 4 Dead 2 - $33.49 Killing Floor - $4.99 Defense Grid: The Awakening - $2.49 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl - $2.00 (Yes, two American dollars.)
