STALKER 2, which will unquestionably be more than just a “ordinary game,” is something that GSC Game World is working really hard to produce. The goal of the project, according to its creators, is to demonstrate the resilience of the Ukrainian people, who are currently under a hostile nation’s bestial attack. Regrettably, the production’s creators are also grappling with these issues. Hackers eventually got to the studio’s internal files after a string of attempts.
GSC Game World executives took a significant choice to leave the Russian market a year ago, which greatly incensed the country’s passionate STALKER fanbase. Over the weekend, there were rumors that the Vestnik TSS group had taken tens of terabytes of data from the upcoming game Hackers Demand An Apology, unblocking user accounts on Discord, among other places, and creating a localized version of the game for users in Russia and Ukraine.
The information that was stolen probably contained a thorough synopsis of the story, information about the cutscenes, and several conceptual documents.
The studio’s servers have been attacked for more than a year, and some of the data has been taken, according to GSC Game World. The Russians seek to sabotage the business’s operations and sway STALKER 2’s development.
“Recently, our employee’s account in an application for collective work with graphics was hacked. The community from the Russian social network took responsibility for this. They threaten to use the obtained data for blackmail and intimidation. This is not the first attempt to hack and leak our data, including personal data. We have been facing constant cyberattacks for over a year. We have encountered blackmail, acts of aggression, hacking, attempts to harm players and fans, and actions aimed at damaging the development process or our company’s reputation.“
However, the developers admit that they now have to face a more terrifying reality, fighting for their country. In an official statement, they emphasize that they will do everything in their power to support Ukraine, so they will not change their attitude.
“We are a Ukrainian company and like most Ukrainians, we have experienced many things that are much more terrifying: destroyed houses, ruined lives and the death of our loved ones. Attempts to blackmail or intimidate us are completely futile.“
“Our unwavering commitment to supporting our country remains unchanged and we will continue to do everything possible to support Ukraine. And that will not change in the future under any circumstances.“
The Ukrainian studio asks you to refrain from watching the materials posted online. Some of them were created much earlier and do not present the final character of STALKER 2, which is why the creators emphasize that the shots may disturb the final impression. Players are encouraged to be patient and wait for the proper release of the game.
A message from GSC Game World team pic.twitter.com/rqRM0tFZmO
— S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) March 12, 2023