‘Of course we’re tired’: After 2 years of working in the shadow of the Russian invasion, the developers of Stalker 2 see finally finishing the game as a way to let the world know: ‘We’re here’

Making a video game is tough business at the best of times, but for Ukrainian studios like Stalker 2 developer GSC Game World, these are the worst of times: Ukraine was hit by a full-scale invasion by Russia in early 2022. While the country has defended itself far better than many expected, it still faces relentless attacks on a daily basis in a war that has cost tens of thousands of lives.

GSC Game World has faced other challenges since the invasion began: a new office in Prague was hit by a major fire just a year after it opened, and in 2023, Russian hackers leaked early test builds of Stalker 2. Some members of the development team have joined the Ukrainian armed forces to fight the Russian invasion; at least one has been killed.