S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, a highly-anticipated first-person shooter survival horror game developed by GSC Game World, has been struggling against hackers that threaten more damage than a delayed release.
Back at the end of December, we reported on the new S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 game, which is set to launch this year. With brand-new graphics capabilities under the capable hands at GSC Game World, the follow-up game has players excited to hop back into the dark setting of The Zone.
It seems, however, that sometimes reality can be just as terrifying as fantasy, as the game’s developers recently released a statement regarding ongoing hacking attempts over the past year.
“Recently, our employees’ account for a collective work-with-images application was hacked. The responsibility for this hack was claimed by a community from a Russian social network. They are threatening to use the obtained data for blackmail and intimidation. This is not the first attempt to hack and leak our data, including personal information. We have been enduring constant cyberattacks for more than a year now.”
The statement from the GSC Game World team goes on to say,
“We are a Ukrainian company, and like most Ukrainians, we have experienced many things that are much more terrifying: destroyed houses, ruined lives, and the death of our loved ones.”
In addition to the potential of personal information being leaked, game files and images for the game are also at threat of being leaked in a malicious attempt to hurt the game’s reputation before it releases. The game is set to release in 2023, but the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and other issues have led to an almost decade-long struggle to develop the title.
In an ever-evolving geopolitical landscape where different issues are beginning to intersect with gaming, this is one tangible example of how factors outside the gaming industry can affect a game’s development and the lives of those creating it.
We’ve reached out to GSC Game World for comment and will update this post if they respond.
We’ll follow this story in our News Section.
