S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Popularity Surges Ukraine Internet

The highly anticipated survival horror shooter, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, achieved phenomenal success in Ukraine, causing a temporary nationwide internet slowdown due to its immense popularity. Let's delve into the launch details and the developers' perspective.

A Nation Enters The Zone

The game's release on November 20th overwhelmed Ukrainian internet infrastructure. Providers Tenet and Triolan reported significant speed reductions in the evening, directly attributed to the massive simultaneous downloads by enthusiastic Ukrainian players. Triolan's statement, as translated, cited "increased load on the channels due to the massive interest in the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R." Even after download, many experienced login and loading delays. The internet disruption lasted for hours before resolving.

GSC Game World, the developer, expressed both pride and surprise at this unprecedented event. Creative director Mariia Grygorovych stated, "It was hard for the whole country, and it's a bad thing because the internet is important, but at the same time it's like whoa!" She emphasized the positive impact, saying, "For us and our team, what's most important is, for some people in Ukraine, they feel a little bit happier than they were before release. We did something for our home country, something good for them."

This overwhelming popularity translated into impressive sales figures: one million copies sold within just two days of release. Despite acknowledged performance issues and bugs, the game's success was undeniable, particularly in its native Ukraine.

GSC Game World, a Ukrainian studio with offices in Kyiv and Prague, faced challenges during development, including launch delays due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Despite these hurdles, the November release marked a significant achievement. The studio remains committed to addressing bugs and optimizing performance, recently releasing its third major patch.