Couchpotato spotted a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 interview on BBC:

Stalker 2: 'We want to show Ukraine can make great games'

"I would say that maybe half of our studio is currently working under the constant threat of being killed," says Evgeniy Kulik.

Evgeniy is a technical producer on Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, an upcoming video game developed by Kyiv-based developer GSC Game World.

It's a title fans of the original, released in 2007, have been awaiting for some time.

But it might not have happened at all, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

BBC Newsbeat spoke to Evgeniy about how Stalker 2's developers kept going, losing colleagues to war, and why the studio feels it's so important for them to complete the game.

The Chernobyl power plant was the site of the world's worst-ever nuclear accident.

In 1986, when the country was under the control of the Soviet Union, there was an explosion at the nuclear power plant 90 miles from Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

At least 31 people were killed in the immediate aftermath and the blast created a fire that burned for 10 days, sending a plume of radioactive smoke across Europe.

A 30-mile exclusion zone was set up around the nuclear reactor to keep people out, although the Ukrainian government had begun to admit tourists into the area before Russia's invasion.

The original Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl, was set on an alternative timeline where a second nuclear disaster had struck, creating an array of mutant creatures and other unnatural phenomena.

Players took the role of a character tasked with exploring the post-apocalyptic setting and navigating the various factions fighting for control of the wasteland.

The decision to set the game at the site was controversial - one developer has said "the blood was still warm and it flowed in our veins" - even 30 years later.

But the game was a big hit, and Stalker 2 was first announced in 2010 - with the intention to build on the original's survival gameplay style.

In 2018, GSC Game World announced that it was working towards an April 2022 release date.

But just two months before that arrived, Russian troops and planes began to cross the border with Ukraine.

War had begun.

[...]

Sector talked with Slava Lukyanenka, producer and creative director of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl about real world influences on the game development:

How Real-World Events Shaped the Story and Content of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2

Slava Lukyanenka, the producer and creative director of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, offers an insightful look into the development of the much-anticipated sequel.

Slava Lukyanenka, the producer and creative director of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, offers an insightful look into the development of the much-anticipated sequel. He delves into the significant impact that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has had on both the game and its team, sharing how these challenges have shaped their approach. Lukyanenka also discusses the influences of real-world events on the game's narrative, the advancements in open-world design and AI, and how fan feedback has guided their development process. Additionally, he outlines the exciting plans for post-launch content and expansions.

I shouldn't be asking a question like this, but we live in a reality where it is quite an important question. How did the situation in Ukraine affect the game and the team?

Well, tough question. Obviously, it's not unnoticed. First of all, before the invasion started, we were a team working in one studio, so we always had each other on the spot if we needed to talk or solve something; there was always space. After the invasion, obviously, the team has split. Part of the GSC relocated to Europe—some in Prague, but part of the team is still in Ukraine.

Working with a distributed team in normal times is one thing. Working in war conditions is an extended multiplier on the complexity. Because, first of all, every game development company is driven by the people and the talents developing the game itself. You need to take care of them. And the Prague team and the Kyiv team have quite similar yet different needs because they are facing different problems. People in Prague are migrants. They are facing all the relocation issues. People who stayed in Ukraine are still under the bombs. At any time, a rocket can shatter a nearby building, hopefully not theirs. Sometimes we had situations where we needed to relocate people from Kharkiv to Kyiv. One of our colleagues had his flat destroyed by Russian rockets. I would say it's uneasy, and every week brings surprises, but we are thriving.

Is it even possible to focus on developing a game?

I would say that game development, in some twisted way, is a morale booster. Because when you have something to focus on, when you have a way to express yourself, to put a bit of your experience, a bit of your feelings into the game, it helps. So, I would say there are many developers who are finding S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 as a coping strategy.

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

IGN presents a new S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 trailer:

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of the Zone - Official Trailer #2 (Fan Film)

Wccftech talked with Lead Producer Slava Lukyanenka and PR Specialist Zakhar Bocharov about S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2:

STALKER 2 Gamescom Q&A – GSC Game World Talks About the Final Rush to Launch

STALKER 2 is real, and it's promising. I can confirm as much after having had the chance to try a brief demo of Episode 1 during Gamescom 2024. This sequel has had to go through an untold number of hurdles, starting with the cancellation of the original project (announced in 2010) and the disbandment of Ukrainian developer GSC Game World.

Thankfully, after a few years, the studio was reformed. After making the real-time strategy game Cossacks 3, the team went on to make STALKER 2 at long last. However, the troubles were far from over, starting with the Russian invasion of Ukraine that forced them to stop development for a while and relocate to Prague, and there was even an office fire at some point.

[...]

After the hands-on, I chatted with Lead Producer Slava Lukyanenka and PR Specialist Zakhar Bocharov to discuss the game's short road to release. As a reminder, STALKER 2 will launch on PC and Xbox Series S|X on November 20, and it will be available on Game Pass from day one.

First of all, I wanted to ask how the team is doing. It would be a big understatement to say you've been through a lot. Now that you are so close to the finish line, what does it feel like?

Slava Lukyanenka: I would say there's all kinds of anxiety and excitement. We are preparing both versions of the game, including a build for Microsoft, because we need to pass through the certification for the Xbox version, and we need to do it in advance. Starting yesterday, we also started to receive public opinions from Gamescom, and it was pure anxiety.

Currently, it's slightly changing because we see the reception and we see that actually people like what we are delivering. Having this kind of feedback from the fans is something that reinforces the team spirit.

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

GamesRadar+ talked with producer Yevhenii Kulyk at Gamescom 2024:

Stalker 2 dev says "the game is huge," takes 100 hours to fully beat, and was built entirely "by hand"

"You will not notice two exact buildings or two exact rooms"

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a big ol' game with a huge map and a story that'll take around 100 hours to fully explore, and even so, it was essentially built entirely by hand.

GamesRadar+ had the chance to sit down with Stalker 2 technical producer Yevhenii Kulyk at Gamescom 2024, and we were told "it was quite a challenging task" making a map that isn't just expansive, but also memorable.

"Of course you can make a big map, but it should still, first of all, be playable, beautiful, and you as a player should remember the locations of the Zone," Kulyk said. "The main thing here, if you're talking about the map - yes it's big. It's really big, but we still almost didn't use any procedural generation for the world."

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

Learn more about Scar:

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl — Scar Character Introduction Trailer | gamescom 2024

Thanks Couchpotato!

Couchpotato spotted a new gameplay overview of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2:

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl - Gameplay Overview | gamescom 2024

Couchpotato spotted a Behind the Scenes trailer for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2:

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl - Official Creating Cutscenes Behind the Scenes Trailer

Couchpotato spotted another S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 preview:

GSC Game World: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.2: Heart of Chornobyl — World & Locations

Couchpotato spotted a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 developer deep dive:

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl — Developer Deep Dive

Henriquejr spotted that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will be released on November 20.

GamesRadar checked out S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2:

We played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and it’s still a super brutal immersive FPS!

Thanks Couchpotato!

Couchpotato spotted two more previews for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2:

CGM: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornobyl Preview — A Haunting Return To The Zone

PCGamesN: Stalker 2 plays like the most brutal, difficult game in the series

Couchpotato spotted two previews for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2:

Gameradar: Stalker 2 hands-on: I played Heart of Chornobyl, and it's finally becoming the immersive-FPS I always knew it could be

Wccftech: STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl Hands-On Impressions – Good Hunting, S.T.A.L.K.E.R

IGN checked out S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2:

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Hands-on Impressions | IGN Live 2024

Thanks Couchpotato!

Couchpotato spotted a new trailer for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl:

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl - Not a Paradise Trailer

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will be released on September 5:

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl - Official Release Date Announcement Trailer

Thanks Couchpotato!

Couchpotato spotted a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 preview at PCWorld:

STALKER 2 preview: A cult classic meets Unreal Engine 5

Tough like Dark Souls, apocalyptic like the Fallout series. Could Stalker 2 be the atmospheric hit of 2024?

We wake up in a daze, the sky above us turning an ominous red color. We hear a loud growl, which gets louder in the first few minutes of Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl. A mutated dog is nibbling on our leg; it has probably chosen it as its lunch. Its eyes are glowing red, its fur is rotting, its flesh is rotting. Never mind, get rid of it – one kick later, the mutant dog flies into an anomaly and shreds in a violent blood blister.

It’s like throwing a tomato into a blender, but there are no tomatoes here. Instead, there’s plenty of eye-candy thanks to Unreal Engine 5: abandoned buildings flooded with deep, wintry light; threadbare forests punctuated by oily, shimmering bubbles of distorted reality; patches of quiet humanity sprawling across the wilderness.

[...]

IGN published a new story trailer for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2:

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl - Official Strider Story Trailer

Thanks Couchpotato!

IGN interviewed game director Evgeniy Grygorovych about S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2:

STALKER 2: The Importance of Chornobyl's Realism | gamescom 2023

Thanks Couchpotato!

IGN presents the Offical Trailer for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2:

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl - Official Trailer

PCGamer has discovered that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 had been delayed to 2023:

Stalker 2 delayed until 2023

Development on Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl recently resumed, after being paused in February following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Studio GSC Game World was based in Kyiv but has had to help its staff and their families relocate, during which period it also changed the game's name: hit's now Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, reflecting the Ukrainian spelling of the region.

The game was still scheduled for a December launch  though, given the circumstances, this seemed increasingly optimistic. At the Xbox and Bethesda showcase last night, a slide near the end of the presentation listing games coming out over the next 12 months showed Stalker 2 as now being down for a 2023 release.

[...]

Thanks Redglyph!

@GamePressure Development on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has been resumed. It is still unknown when the game will be released.

Developers of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl have announced on Discordthat the work on the game has been resumed. However, they did not give a new release date (before the war in Ukraine, which caused the interruption, it was set for December 8, 2022). It is possible that we will learn it during the upcoming Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, scheduled for June 12.

[...]

Wccf Tech reports that STALKER 2 was delayed.

STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl Has Been Officially Delayed to December 2022

STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl has been officially delayed to December 2022, developer GSC Game World confirmed today.

In a new letter shared on Twitter, the developer revealed that their game will launch on December 8th, 2022, instead of April 28th as previously announced. The additional seven months of development will be needed for the team to fulfill their vision of their game.

[...]

Wccf Tech reports that GSC Game World backed down after the bad reception of their announcement about NFTs in STALKER 2.

STALKER 2 Won’t Have Blockchain/NFTs Anymore After Massive Backlash

TALKER 2 developer GSC Game World quickly backtracked on its plans to create a STALKER Metaverse where users would purchase rights to unique items in the game as part of blockchain/NFT transactions. Those items would then be tradeable on DMarket's platform.

The news came only two days ago, but the massive backlash from the whole gaming community already forced the Ukrainian studio to reconsider. A few hours ago, the official STALKER 2 Twitter account posted the following brief message:

Dear stalkers, we hear you.

Based on the feedback we received, we've made a decision to cancel anything NFT-related in STALKER 2.

The interests of our fans and players are the top priority for the team. We're making this game for you to enjoy - whatever the cost is. If you care, we care too.

With love, GSC Game World team.

[...]

Wccf Tech reports new screenshots and concept art shown on GSC's Discord channel, and bits of information revealed in a magazine (follow the link for the images).

STALKER 2 Gets Five Gorgeous New Screens and Info on Survival Elements, Longevity, New Factions and Enemies

STALKER 2 is finally approaching its April 28th, 2022 release date, scheduled for almost four years after the game's re-announcement.

As such, the developers at GSC Game World have shared five gorgeous new screenshots and one brand new concept art for the game via the official Discord channel. Additionally, new information emerged in the latest PC Gamer magazine issue, with Russian fans all too eager to disseminate it.

STALKER 2 will reportedly feature significant survival elements. The main character will need to be fed well, otherwise, hunger may reduce abilities and cause a rapid loss of stamina. On the other hand, once you've eaten properly, you'll be able to cover long distances more quickly.

Likewise, sleeping will be a requirement. Spend over a day without any shuteye and your character's eyesight will begin deteriorating, along with stamina loss (again) and possibly even hallucinations, eventually. There are some quick remedies like consuming an energy drink, but they can only work for so long.

According to GSC Game World, over thirty quest designers have been working on the plot of STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl. The estimated length (likely including side content) is around a hundred hours and non-linearity will be a key factor as players progress through the game.

Beyond regular stalkers and bandits, the Exclusion Zone will also feature the Warta faction, the equivalent of an unofficial police force. The faction leader, Colonel Alexander Korshunov, is described as a man who doesn't tolerate any kind of disloyalty from his subordinates. The faction as a whole supposedly wants to harness scientific discoveries made within the Zone for the betterment of humanity.

The developers hinted that picking Warta or another of the factions available in STALKER 2 will be a major plot point in the game. That said, each faction includes characters with different ideologies.

Mutated deers can apparently be a meaningful threat to the player character in STALKER 2. The mutation added a sort of armor frame to the animal, making it hard to find a weak spot vulnerable to damage. The mutated deer can be dangerous both with physical attacks and even psychic attacks, which are another nasty side effect of the radiation. These deers can summon other mutants and even conjure fake copies of themselves through illusion.

STALKER 2 will be released for PC and Xbox Series S|X, with Microsoft grabbing a three-month console exclusivity. It's also going to be the first proper Unreal Engine 5 game (unless you count Fortnite Chapter 3).

DSOGaming reports that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is using Unreal Engine 5.

GSC GameWorld has announced that STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl will be using Unreal Engine 5 and not Unreal Engine 4. The game will release in April 2021 and from the looks of it, it will be one of the first that will be using UE5.

STALKER 2 aims to feature an epic, non-linear story. Furthermore, your choices will influence both short-term consequences and global outcomes. The game will take place inside the Chernobyl exclusion zone, and it will have new locations along with the old ones.

[...]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has a new gameplay trailer.

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From epic cutscenes and underground labs to open-world fields, here is the first look at the gameplay of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl.

Thanks Farflame!

The developers of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 were interviewed by Gamingbolt about the open world, branching story, atmosphere, and more.

Atmosphere and horror are clearly a big emphasis in this game, which is something that series fans will undoubtedly be glad about. Both of those can be very subjective things though, so how do you as developers ensure that you’re hitting the mark in those areas on a consistent level?

With three games in the series, we think we have a strong vision of what players like and expect.

Also, the core team is located in Kyiv, Ukraine, and we visit the Exclusion Zone every couple of months — for the purpose of both work (photogrammetry) and inspiration.

So we can say it’s a mix of existing experience and translating the cultural code. The whole thing is so powerful yet so subtle it’s really hard to describe in words. You can be sure it’s different for pretty much everyone. But probably it is the “atmosphere” people are talking about.

You’re promising a massive open world with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2– just what should players expect in this area where things such as size, design, and variety are concerned? Do you think it becomes harder to maintain a consistent level of horror and atmosphere when a game is set in a large open world environment?

Yes, maintaining the interest of the player is a challenge for every open-world game.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is mostly about the new story, and we can’t tell it without the open world. The player needs to feel the scale and the outcomes of his decisions. It is a long way so it can land an impact. A big journey with its own pace and outcomes.

Also, it’s about seeing the Zone in her renewed beauty. The seamless open world is a thing the series always aimed for. Hopefully, the players will enjoy both the story and the world we’re crafting. They are highly special for us.

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

A new dev diary video for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.

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Here is a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 dev diary dedicated to the 14th anniversary of the first game in the series — S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. 
Have a first look at the updated costumes, several guns and unique custom teeth tool. 
The game is next-gen only (PC, Xbox Series X/S) and will be available on Xbox Game Pass day one.

Gamepressure reports that Zakhar Bocharov - PR Manager of GSC Game World - talked about several different aspects of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 in a recent Russian podcast.

In the conversation there was also some information about the technology used by the devs. For example, they initially planned to create a new version of their in-house graphics engine X-Ray, but it was considered too outdated, so it was decided to use the Unreal Engine technology. Zakhar Bocharov also assured that on the day of release the game will be much more stable than previous installments.

As for the gameplay in STALKER 2, we can expect the evolution of the life-simulation system called A-Life, about which we wrote earlier - thanks to the 2.0 version of this technology, the inhabitants of the world (we're talking about various factions, but also monsters) will take actions regardless of whether they are observed by the player character at any given moment.

[...]

A S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 development update from GSC Game World shows off a new hero.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Development Update: a Gameplay Teaser and a New Hero

by Zakhar Bocharov, PR Specialist at GSC Game World • Jan 15, 2021 @ 10:00am

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Hi everyone!

GSC Game World here.

The debut S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase was all about the atmosphere. We have made quite a bit of progress since July, and we decided to go forward, sharing an in-engine gameplay teaser. That seems like a neat way to kickstart a new year, right?

Just imagine.

A long and tedious road.

The hostile and treacherous Zone.

Unbelievable treasures that might cost you everything. A blood trial, separating your old life from a new one…

It’s time for a taste of how the game actually feels. Fast-paced changes of scenery, ominous landscapes and the ever-present feeling of an inevitable danger.

You’re seeing this world through the eyes of a stalker named Skif— remember the codename, you will hear it a lot. Following the steps of its predecessors, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 introduces a completely new main protagonist. His actions will shape the new grand chapter in the history of the Zone.

The short scene takes place in the ruined school on the outskirts of the dead town of Pripyat. That’s an extremely dangerous place, and nobody would like to be here on their will. Still, the place doesn’t seem completely abandoned: there is a freshly started fire with a guitar nearby. However, Skif hardly has time to acknowledge that: he seems in a hurry. It looks like an inevitable danger is following him.

And here it is: an emission. A signature part of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, a powerful release of the anomalous energy from the center of the Zone. Emission happens from time to time and it’s extremely dangerous: it can kill you in the blink of an eye. When a stalker notices a start of emission, they should hide immediately and wait for the end of it, hoping they can get through. So that’s why Skif is in a hurry: he is certainly looking for cover in the nearby building.

The situation is far from safe, though: the building is half-ruined, and the PDA doesn’t seem to work: the signal is lost. All things considered, it’s easy not to notice someone hiding in the shadows. He does look familiar, though…

Some of our fans may recognize the hardly-distinguishable guitar motive. If this tune evokes your nostalgia feelings, that’s because it’s taken from a “Life Line” song by famous Russian rock band Splean We found it to fit just perfectly in the scene we created. If you are hearing this tune for the first time, we recommend listening to the full version — it’s sad and moving at the same time. And extremely catchy, if you ask us.

Finally, we would like to finish this update with a development status. We’re progressing smoothly, including Xbox Series X/S versions as well. The aim is to deliver the product of the highest quality possible on every platform it’s announced for. With fast SSD, RTX support (both Series X and S) and 4K-resolution (Series X), we’re pleased to see how S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is shaping up to be the ultimate experience we’ve initially promised.

The exact release date of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is yet to be announced by GSC Game World. But you can be confident the game will come to Xbox Game Pass on day one. We’re more than excited for all the new Xbox fans to experience S.T.A.L.K.E.R. for the first time.

Thanks for your attention and have and have a truly great year! You’ve deserved it.

A brief teaser video for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.

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Get your first in-engine look at the first-person sequel S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and its Zone through the eyes of its main protagonist, Skif. As developer GSC Game World puts it, this teaser represents "how the game actually feels: fast-paced change of scenery, ominous landscapes and the ever-present feeling of an inevitable danger accompanied by a barely-distinguishable guitar soundtrack." S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is due for release at some point in 2021 on Xbox Series X|S (day one on Xbox Game Pass) and PC.

A new official trailer for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.

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The award-winning PC franchise loved by millions of players is making a true next-gen console debut with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.  
Learn more: https://www.xbox.com/games/stalker-2  

Experience one of the biggest open-worlds to date, filled with radiation, mutants, and anomalies.

PC Gamer reports that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is being made with the Unreal Engine and will support modding.

Today we got another reason to be hopeful—maybe even cautiously optimistic—as the official Stalker 2 Twitter feed revealed that the new game will use the Unreal Engine. 

[...]

"User modifications help the world of the Zone to live on while we are busy with making a sequel, and we can't be more grateful for that," GSC Game World said in the announcement.

As for whether Stalker 2 could end up as an Epic Games Store exclusive (Epic also makes the Unreal Engine), the studio said only that it "will talk about this later."

DSOGaming reports that some new art and a music track have appeared at the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 website.

GSC GameWorld has released the first official artwork and a music track for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. From what we’ve heard so far, the game is in a really early development stage and targets a 2021 release.

[...]