After working for two years in the shadows of Russia's invasion Stalker 2's developers see finishing the game as a means to say, "We are here."

Videogame development is difficult at the best of time, but for Ukrainian studios such as GSC Game World (developer of Stalker 2), this is even worse. Ukraine was invaded by Russia on January 1, 2022. While the country has defended themselves better than many expected, they still face daily assaults from a war which has cost tens and thousands of lives.

GSC Game World has also faced other challenges since invasion began. A new office in Prague was destroyed by fire in just one year, and in 2023 Russian hacker leaked early Stalker 2 tests. Some members of the GSC Game World development team have joined Ukrainian armed forces in order to fight the Russian invasion. At least one member has died.

Stalker 2 has been delayed several times, which is understandable. Stalker 2's technical producer Evgeniy Kulik told PC Gamer that it has been a long and difficult road, but the developers have worked hard together to support each other.

Kulik explained, "When we moved from Russia to the Czech Republic shortly after the Russian aggression we worked very closely together." "Even after working, we talk about the game. We make some decisions. We're always talking about what we should improve.

"It really helps, because we're worried about our colleagues and our families back home. We have two large studios, one of which is in Prague, and a huge office in Ukraine with over 200 people in Kyiv. These guys are under constant pressure due to constant air raid sirens and constant bombing.

As the end is in sight, this internal support network has been bolstered through reactions from fans during pre-release showcases such as Gamescom. Stalker 2 Heart of Chornobyl is a game that has a lot of excitement. We declared it to be the "most desired game" of November 2023 PC Gaming Show, and this excitement is being carried over to the developers.

Kulik said, "We are really excited by the reactions of people." "They're giving us a lot energy to look for."

"Of course, we are tired." It's been a long road with many problems. Now, let's finish the project, finish the game, and release it once more to the public.

Stalker 2 will be released on November 20.