It seems that much of humanity has forgotten that a war between Ukraine and Russia is still unfolding despite being the center of world attention in recent months. Unfortunately, it is still a long way from being done. This week, GSC Game Worldthe studio responsible for Stalker 2 and whose headquarters are located in kyiv, reminded us that the war is still ongoing through a shocking video.
GSC’s original plan was to launch Stalker 2 at the end of this year. It is one of the most anticipated titles by Xbox Game Pass subscribers. However, an unexpected war got in the way and ruined all their plans. Of course, the developers were forced to leave their offices and, in the best case, continue work from home – if it was not destroyed. This unfortunate situation caused the game will be delayed until 2023.
However, the release date of Stalker 2 It’s the least important thing right now. The video, shared during the showcase Xbox and Bethesda Extendedhighlights the complicated situation that GSC employees are going through. Saving the lives of his family and his own became the top priority. Others, in fact, had to take up arms to defend their country from the Russian invasion. The testimonials are moving.
“We have anti-aircraft sirens all the time. I work and then I go for a walk like this,” mentions one community manager from the studio while walking down a completely destroyed street. “For 3 months I live and work in this corridor. A one-eyed dog, rescued from the Hostomel bombing, lives with me. It’s not easy writing violent missions when there’s a war outside your window.“, declares Dariia Tsepkova, narrative designer of Stalker 2.
“My name is Oleksandr. I am an animator at GSC. I am from Mariupol. Since the beginning of the war I have had no contact with my parents. It is a horrible and indescribable feeling not knowing if your loved ones are alive,” says another employee. For his part, Dmytro Lassenev, head of AI development and who now defends the country from him alongside the armed forces, pointed out that he never imagined a war in Europe during the 21st century. “After our victory we will return to the game”said narrative designer Maksym Hnatkov.
Undoubtedly, they are quite strong interventions that demonstrate how a military conflict change the lives of millions of people in the blink of an eye. “111 days have passed since the war broke into our home, changing everything and everyone around us. GSC Game World is a Ukrainian company, so our story is similar,” they comment from the studio.