Evgeniy Kulik, a technical producer on the highly anticipated video game Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, shares the profound challenges faced by the Kyiv-based GSC Game World team as they develop the game under the constant threat of war. Half of the studio, Kulik explains, operates amid the real danger of being killed due to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The original Stalker game, Shadow of Chernobyl, released in 2007, captured the gaming world’s attention with its post-apocalyptic setting in a mutated wasteland after a second fictional nuclear disaster. Set around the Chernobyl power plant, the real-life site of the 1986 nuclear catastrophe, the game was both controversial and critically acclaimed.
In 2018, GSC Game World began working on a sequel, Stalker 2, aiming for an April 2022 release. However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine disrupted plans just months before that deadline. With many employees having to flee the war-torn country, the team set up a second studio in Prague, while others stayed behind to fight for Ukraine and continue development in between their military duties. The developers proudly say, “We load our weapons with one hand and make our game with the other.”
A documentary released this week details the harrowing journey of the developers, highlighting their decision to keep pushing forward despite the war. Notably, after the conflict erupted, the game’s subtitle was changed to the Ukrainian spelling, Heart of Chornobyl, rejecting its Russian fanbase, removing Russian voiceovers, and refusing to release the game in Russia.
Kulik emphasizes the cultural importance of Stalker 2, comparing games to other artistic forms like music, movies, and books. The game has become a symbol of Ukraine’s resilience and capability, a tribute to both the developers who have lost their lives and those who continue fighting to make it happen.