The development of the long-awaited S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, which was officially released on November 20, was a huge challenge for GSC Game World. More than 470 professionals were involved in the creation of the game, and the project budget reached tens of millions of dollars.
In an exclusive interview with Forbes Ukraine, Maksym Krippa, owner of GSC Game World, shared interesting details of the development. According to him, the main task of the team was to preserve the atmosphere of the cult series while integrating the latest technologies and modern gaming solutions. Krippa emphasized that every element of the game was created with attention to detail to satisfy both longtime fans and a new audience.
The story of the creation of the most famous game in Ukraine
The second S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was the result of the joint work of Yevhen and Maria Gryhorovych, who took on a key role in the implementation of this large-scale project. The couple was responsible not only for operational and organizational processes, but also acted as creative directors, forming a unique vision of the game.
Thanks to their leadership and dedication, the project has gained a distinctive atmosphere that harmoniously combines modern technology and classic franchise elements. Their contribution to the game’s development has become one of the determining factors in its success.
About 470 specialists were involved in the creation of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. A significant part of the team – about 200 people – works outside of Ukraine, while 270 specialists continue to work in the war, proving their professionalism and dedication to the project.
When Maksym Krippa joined GSC Game World in 2020, the studio consisted of only 65 employees. However, in a few years, the company managed to grow sevenfold, despite the challenges of the pandemic and war, which could have significantly slowed down development.
The large-scale growth became possible thanks to the well-coordinated work of the team, which demonstrated a high level of professionalism, dedication, and faith in the success of the project. Maksym Krippa notes that these qualities made it possible to realize one of the most anticipated games of our time, which has become an important milestone in the development of the gaming industry.
Achievements of the development team
Investor GSC Game World confirmed that the creation of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl required significant financial investments that reached tens of millions of dollars. However, according to Maksym Krippa, the project has already reached the level of profitability due to impressive sales.
In the first 36 hours after its release, the game sold over a million copies. This result not only demonstrates a strong start, but also emphasizes the scale of expectations of fans of the cult series around the world.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has also achieved significant success on streaming platforms. In November, Twitch viewers spent more than 20 million hours streaming the new game. This proves that the project was able to attract both loyal fans of the series and newcomers who plunged into the world of stalkers for the first time.
Maksym Krippa noted that the team worked to the limit to ensure that the release took place on time, on November 20. According to him, any delay could have a negative impact on the morale of the developers, as emotional burnout jeopardized the further success of the project.
“The most important achievement is creating a game that players really like. Mistakes can always be corrected, but if the gameplay or the game concept itself is unsuccessful, it cannot be changed,” emphasized Maksym Krippa.
He also shared his vision of the future of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. According to Krippa, the company is currently in talks with Netflix regarding the potential adaptation of the game. However, no final agreements have been reached so far, and the issue remains open.
Interestingly, most copies of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 were sold in the United States.