The Ukrainian developer of “Stalker 2” has reported being attacked by Russian hackers. GSC Game World wrote on their official Twitter account that an employee work program account was hacked. As a result, game material for “Stalker 2” was captured and leaked on Russian network VK. The hackers stole confidential data, including screenshots, story descriptions, and concept art, estimating around 30GB. The VK post demanded that GSC complies with certain demands, such as reconsidering its attitude towards Russian players, un-banning a specific player from a Discord channel, and adding Russian dubbing into the game.
GSC Game World has decided not to comply. The studio stated that blackmail and intimidation tactics were futile. They have seen worse things since they were headquartered in Kiev when Russia invaded Ukraine. For this reason, they have been constantly under cyber attack ever since. The development of “Stalker 2” had to be temporarily paused during the first attacks. Despite this setback, GSC is continuing the production of their shooter with many employees located in Prague.
Russia’s war of aggression has not only targeted “Stalker 2.” Critics believe that “Atomic Heart,” a recently released video game, depicts Russian propaganda that romanticizes the Soviet Union’s communist ideology. Ukraine’s Digital Minister, Alex Bornyakov, has requested that sales be stopped. The developers of the military simulation game, “Arma 3,” have also warned against fake videos that have been circulating on social media. These videos, which are said to depict real war scenes, have been debunked by Bohemia Interactive. To help differentiate between real and fake footage, the studio has published a checklist.
