Editor’s note: The war in Ukraine is an ongoing, painful and emotional issue. IGN encourages community members to be respectful when discussing this topic and does not condone harassment of any kind.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl developer GSC Game World has revealed that it was hacked by a group on a Russian social network.
Turned on Twitterthe GSC Game World team released a statement about the hack, explaining what happened and revealing that the studio has faced cyberattacks since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“Recently, our employee’s account for a collective work application with images was hacked,” wrote GSC Game World. “Responsibility for this was claimed by a community of a Russian social network. They threaten to use the obtained data for blackmail and intimidation.
A message from the GSC Game World team pic.twitter.com/rqRM0tFZmO
— OFFICIAL STALKER (@stalker_thegame) March 12, 2023
“This is not the first attempt to hack and leak our data, including personal information. We have been enduring constant cyber attacks for over a year. We have faced blackmail, acts of aggression, hacks, attempts to harm players and fans, and efforts to damage the development process or our company’s reputation.”
GSC Game World asks fans to “refrain from viewing or distributing information” about STALKER 2 in case of leaks. The study said that outdated and in-progress materials are not representative of the final product.
Elsewhere in the statement, GSC Game World also reiterated its “unwavering commitment to support” Ukraine, adding that “the attempt to blackmail or intimidate us is completely futile.” Finally, the team expressed their gratitude to the STALKER 2 community, ending by saying, “Your support is our inspiration.”
The Ukrainian studio has spoken extensively about the ongoing war in its home country. When development was shelved due to the conflict, GSC Game World said that work on the game would continue “after the victory”.
In the months that followed, the studio shared a look at GSC Game World’s Kyiv office and workers before and after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Now, work on the game has continued, with reports that some of the developers have moved on. There’s still no release date for STALKER 2, but last we heard the game was slated to launch sometime in 2023.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the video game industry with his names on IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.