Key Takeaways
- Stalker 2 could be banned in Russia, according to a government official.
- The ban would be put in place if it was felt that Stalker 2 contains “justification of terrorism” and “extremism”.
- The official also suggests that the developer’s support of the Ukrainian military is a factor.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl could be banned in Russia, according to a government official. The official denies that this is solely due to developer GSC Game World’s support for Ukraine.
As spotted by VGC, State Duma member Anton Gorelkin is quoted by multiple Russian news outlets as saying that the game has “every chance” of being banned in Russia if it’s decided that it “justifies terrorism”. Gorelkin also raises the possibility of Stalker 2 engaging in “incitement of ethnic hatred” and “extremism”.
Stalker 2 Could Be Banned In Russia
Quoted in the state-owned news outlet RIA Novosti, Gorelkin said, “I believe that Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has every chance of being officially banned in Russia.”
He added that if the game contained illegal material, such as “extremism, justification of terrorism [and] incitement of ethnic hatred”, then “severe measures” would be taken to stop sales. He adds that anyone in breach of these measures would be “held accountable”.
He is also reported as saying that the ban would “not only” be because of GCS Game World vocally supporting Ukraine’s efforts against Russia, suggesting this is still a factor.
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Stalker 2 Is Going To Turn A Lot Of People Off, And That’s A Good Thing
This isn’t your average open world game.
GSC Game World is a Ukrainian game developer. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 disrupted development, but work on the game resumed a few months into the conflict.
Unsurprisingly, this has meant that the release date for Stalker 2 has been pushed back several times. Now, after numerous delays, it is set to launch on November 20, so just a few days away from now. It went gold last week, meaning it will certainly be sticking to its release date this time.
Speaking to us in the summer, GSC Game World praised Microsoft for not pressuring the studio to have the game ready to launch at a certain date. This is despite the team having a deal with Xbox which makes it a temporary console exclusive on the platform, as well as available on Game Pass from day one.
Stalker 2 will be available on Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is the long-awaited follow-up to the apocalyptic first-person shooter. As a Stalker, you must venture into the deadly Exclusion Zone, contending with mutants and warring factions alike, in search of valuable artifacts.