Making a videogame is a tough business at the best of times, and for Ukrainian studios like Stalker 2 developer GSC Game World, these are much closer to the worst of times: Ukraine suffered a full-scale invasion by Russia in early 2022, and while the country has defended itself far more ably than many expected, it still faces relentless daily assaults in a war that's cost tens of thousands of lives.
GSC Game World has faced other challenges since the invasion began: A new office in Prague suffered a major fire just a year after it opened, and in 2023 Russian hackers leaked early Stalker 2 test builds. Some members of the development team have joined the Ukrainian armed forces to fight the Russian invasion; at least one has died.
