S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl has been highly anticipated for years, with fans waiting for a sequel to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl since 2007. However, an unforeseen event—the invasion of Ukraine by Russia—further postponed the development plans of GSC Game World.
The Kyiv-based developers have openly shared their experiences on social media regarding the turmoil and violence impacting the game’s timeline, which was originally set for release in 2022. Their journey is captured in War Game: The Making of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, a compelling 97-minute documentary available on YouTube. It’s a portrayal of perseverance amidst chaos.
The film begins by outlining the history of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise and the studio behind it but quickly transitions to the war’s profound effects on both game development and the lives of the team members. Initially, they didn’t anticipate that Russian President Vladimir Putin would escalate to a military attack. Nevertheless, CEO Ievgen Grygorovych and executive producer Mariia Grygorovych made proactive plans to evacuate their team members to Uzhhorod, a town in western Ukraine located near a relatively secure NATO border. Buses were arranged and stationed outside their office with drivers on standby around the clock to transport employees, their families, and some former staff to safety.
Mariia recalled that they initially refrained from informing the team about the evacuation buses to prevent panic. “I second-guessed my own judgment and wondered if I was losing my mind,” she reflected in the documentary. The team had differing views on how to respond in the event of an invasion. Some knew they would stay behind to volunteer for military service, while others focused on continuing their work on the game.
Ultimately, they managed to evacuate 183 employees, their families, and former team members into a hotel, while 139 opted to remain in Kyiv. In February 2022, amidst rising tensions, the staff were summoned to the office on a Sunday morning at 6 a.m. Despite Russia not having officially launched its attack yet, they collected essential items, gathered their relatives (including children), dropped off their pets, and relocated to the hotel in Uzhhorod.
Shortly after their evacuation efforts, Russia initiated its attack on Kyiv, which was much closer than they expected. One developer shared that he was about to take care of his newborn’s passport paperwork when the assault began. Another developer expressed feeling like a “traitor” because his mother refused to leave. “Deep down, we were all prepared to die,” said Alina, one of the developers.
While Ievgen and Mariia escorted those willing to evacuate to Hungary from the hotel, others chose to remain and fight. However, leaving proved problematic, as the border closed at 6 p.m., leading many team members to trek on foot through harsh winter conditions to cross into safety.
In the wake of the conflict, many developers questioned whether they would ever return to work on the game. Their equipment, including a significant motion capture studio, was still in Kyiv, and some team members struggled with internet access or were unable to communicate with the outside world. One concept artist, Anton, found himself trapped in his basement but continued his work using pen and paper. Despite these challenges, the team established a new office in Prague, re-cast their actors, and created workspaces for colleagues who remained in Ukraine to stay warm and continue development. They showcased their progress at Gamescom 2023 but, after receiving lukewarm reactions, opted to delay the game further, pushing it back to early 2024 before setting their sights on a November release.
Digital Trends has since previewed S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and the consensus is that it will be worth the lengthy wait.
