On March 11, a post on a Russian fan page for the stalker series boasted that he had hacked into the in-development stalker 2, and started threatening the game’s Ukrainian developers. Those developers have now responded and basically told them to go to hell.
The post and hack appear to be in response to developers GSC Game World’s decision not to localize the upcoming shooter for the Russian market, and to the way Russian members of the series community are being treated following their country’s invasion of Ukraine. year. The hackers ask GSC to “rethink your attitude towards players from Belarus and Russia” and “apologize for the undignified attitude towards ordinary players from these countries”.
Regarding the lack of a Russian localization, they write: “Fans are waiting for it from your official company. There is no need to spoil the game for people because of politics.”
The hackers say they have in their possession concept art, story details, maps and “much more,” amounting to “tens of gigabytes” of data. They say that if GSC Game World has not responded by March 15, they will release this footage and information on the internet.
Well, GSC Game World – who had killed a developer of the game in December while fighting the Russian invasion— have responded, just not in the way the hackers probably hoped. In a statement released earlier todaysay the developers (their capitals, not mine):
RECENTLY OUR EMPLOYEE ACCOUNT FOR A COLLECTIVE WORK WITH IMAGE APPLICATION WAS HACKED. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS WAS IMPOSED BY A COMMUNITY OF A RUSSIAN SOCIAL NETWORK. THEY THREAT TO USE THE DATA OBTAINED FOR BLACKMANING AND HARASSMENT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO HACK AND LEAK OUR DATA, INCLUDING PERSONAL INFORMATION. WE HAVE NOW HAD CONSTANT CYBER ATTACKS DURING OVER A YEAR. WE HAVE CONCERNED BLACKMANING, Aggressive Acts, HACKS, ATTEMPTS TO HURT PLAYERS AND FANS, AND ATTEMPTS TO DAMAGE OUR COMPANY’S DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OR REPUTATION.
WE ARE A UKRAINIAN COMPANY AND LIKE MOST UKRAINIANS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED MANY THINGS MUCH MORE Frightening: DESTRUCTED HOUSES, LIVES RUINED AND THE DEATH OF OUR LOVED LOVERS. ATTEMPTS TO BLACKMAIL OR HARASS US ARE COMPLETELY WRONG.
OUR UNVALID COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT OUR COUNTRY REMAINS UNCHANGED – WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO SUPPORT UKRAINE. AND THIS WILL NOT CHANGE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE FUTURE.
DESPITE THE TRY TO BREAK US, WE REMAIN STRONG AND COURAGEOUS. BECAUSE IF YOU BELIEVE IN SOMETHING AND LOVE IT WITH ALL YOUR HEART, YOU HAVE TO DEFEND IT AT ALL COSTS.
WE HAVE MADE A LOT. HOWEVER, THESE CHALLENGES ENCOURAGE US TO WORK EVEN HARDER BECAUSE
WE BELIEVE THE TRUTH IS ON OUR SIDE. EVIL WILL NEVER WIN.
IN THE EVENT OF LEAKS, WE ASK YOU NOT TO WATCH OR DISTRIBUTE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT STALKER 2: HEART OF CHORNOBYL. OUTDATED AND WORK IN PROGRESS MATERIALS MAY REDUCE THE IMPRESSION OF THE FINAL IDEA WE HAVE PLACED INTO THE GAME. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO REMAIN PATIENT AND WAIT FOR THE OFFICIAL RELEASE FOR THE BEST EXPERIENCE. WE BELIEVE YOU WILL LOVE IT.
WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION FOR OUR LOYAL COMMUNITY. WE ARE OVERWHELMED BY THE RESPONSES AND SUPPORT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM YOU. THANKS FOR THAT. FROM EVERY MEMBER OF THE GSC GAME WORLD TEAM.
OUR MISSION IS TO USE ALL OF OUR STRENGTH AND PASSION TO COMPLETE AND DELIVER THE PROJECT TO YOU, DESPITE ALL THE OBSTACLES ON THE WAY. YOUR SUPPORT IS OUR INSPIRATION.
HONOR TO UKRAINE.
HONESTLY,
THE GSC GAME WORLD TEAM
That’s a “no”.