There was plenty of excitement when a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. sequel was announced by GSC Game World. Nobody could have predicted just how tumultuous the development cycle would be. The game has faced numerous delays due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine which forced the team to quickly relocate from Kyiv to Prague.
This was far from the end of their problems, as they would also suffer cyber attacks originating from Russia. Because of all these hurdles, the game’s release date has shifted to 2024. It appears that a new kind of problem has appeared, this time in the form of fire.
It was originally reported by the Czech publication Vortex on September 8 that GSC Game World had suffered a fire in their offices. According to PC Gamer, nobody was hurt in the fire, and a GSC representative has confirmed that the incident is under investigation.
Battered but not beaten
In its official Discord server, the studio confirmed a few more details about the fire, including that although the fire was quickly put out, an office floor will need full restoration. Despite the setback, developers remain intent on releasing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, and their confidence is motivated by the fact that they’ve “dealt with worse than that before.”
It’s certainly a true statement, as despite escaping a warzone, developers have been able to present a playable demo at this year’s Gamescom. Although GSC Game World has attempted to defend the demo’s “imperfect” state, the reception to it has been relatively good.
