Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl developer GSC Game World has confirmed that it’s been the victim of a hack, following claims that “a huge amount of materials” from the game would be leaked if the Ukrainian studio does not apologise to Russian fans.
Details of the hack first surfaced on Saturday (March 11) when a user from Russian social media site VK claimed to have “tens of gigabytes” of content taken from Stalker 2, including the game’s story, maps and cutscene information.
The statement was accompanied by a number of unreleased screenshots and concept art from the game.
In the post, the hacker demanded that GSC Game World “rethink [its] attitude towards players from Belarus and Russia,” remove the ban on the hacker’s account from Stalker 2‘s official Discord, and announce a Russian-localised version of Stalker 2.
Currently, Stalker 2 is not available for purchase in Russia.
The hacker has threatened to release the stolen Stalker 2 footage if GSC Game World does not comply by March 15 and claimed that “it is not necessary to spoil the game for people because of politics”.
Yesterday (March 12) GSC Game World confirmed that although an employee had been hacked, it had no plans to comply with the hacker.
A message from GSC Game World team pic.twitter.com/rqRM0tFZmO
— S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) March 12, 2023
“This is not the first attempt to hack and leak our data, including personal information,” wrote the studio. “We have been enduring constant cyberattacks for more than a year now. We have faced blackmail, acts of aggression, hacks, attempts to hurt players and fans, and efforts to damage the development process or the reputation of our company.”
GSC Game World went on to say that it will not be adhering to the hacker’s demands.
“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 deaths of our loved ones. Attempts to blackmail or intimidate us are completely futile.”
“In the event of any leaks, we ask that you refrain from watching or distributing information about Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl,” the studio continued. “Outdated and work-in-progress materials may dilute the impression of the final idea that we have put into the game. We encourage you to stay patient and wait for the official release for the best experience possible. We believe that you will love it.”
Last year, GSC Game World shared a video detailing how the studio continues developing Stalker 2 in a war zone.
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