For the newest episode of GameSpot Insider, we dig into the tumultuous development of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl. While the game is now considered a success, both critically and commercially (it just passed 6 million players), the game was canceled all the way back in 2012. It got off the ground again years later, but Ukraine-based developer GSC Game World had another challenge to contend with: developing the game in the midst of Russia’s hostile invasion of the country.
GameSpot traveled to visit GSC Game World’s new office in Prague, where we spoke to the developers directly about the rocky road to bring Stalker 2 to market. In the 40-minute documentary, the developers share harrowing stories about the game’s development, including how a fire threw another wrench in the game’s plans. As you’ll learn in the documentary, around 200 GSC workers evacuated Ukraine due to the conflict, establishing a new office in Prague, but more than 200 stayed in Kyiv.
Check out the 40-minute documentary below.