The team behind GSC Game World was already working on one of the most awaited games of 2024, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, when as tensions grew between Ukraine and Russia, development became a lot harder than anyone had thought it would go. When war began, the safety of the 300-strong team suddenly became the number one priority.
This new documentary, "War Game," reveals this unbelievable story of resilience through personal accounts and behind-the-scenes footage. Studio heads Ievgen and Mariia Grygorovich organized an evacuation of the studio"s 400-plus staff to relocate abroad. Shifting development to a new country was extremely logistically difficult.
Documentary shows valuable equipment and years of work had to be transported safety. Family members had to be separated, as some staff remained in Ukraine. Rebuilding studios from scratch in Budapest had tested the resilience of all.
Despite facing huge personal hardships, around two-thirds of the team were determined to continue working on the game. Living between two very different realities, they had to adapt to new environments while processing the turmoil back home. Some employees even joined the military to defend Ukraine.
In a blog, Microsoft wrote that;
It"s this journey that’s at the center of the new documentary “War Game: The Making of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2”, available for viewing today on the Xbox YouTube channel (or you can watch it below). The story is centered largely around the game’s premiere at gamescom 2023. With thousands of fans awaiting their first glimpse of the new S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 demo, the team scrambles to fix last-minute bugs. But this isn’t just a typical day at the office—it’s the climax of years of struggle, sacrifice, and survival in the face of overwhelming adversity.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl is expected to launch on November 20, 2024, for the Xbox Series X|S and PC and on day one for Game Pass.