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GSC Game World, the Ukrainian developer of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series of FPS adventures, has closed down, taking the work-in-progress S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 down with it. Sergey Galyonkin, Marketing Director at GSC's Russian distributor 1C, reports that the closure is shrouded in rumor and accusatory gossip – but that the studio's big project simply wasn't shaping up as a viable contender for profitable international distribution.

While S.T.A.L.K.E.R. enjoyed international success on PC, Galyonkin says the company was unable to secure the level of distribution that would enable S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 to turn a profit. He says GSC was unable to secure deals with console publishers, and self-publishing wasn't an option. Even after the worldwide success of the original game and its subsequent add-ons, international distribution also proved prohibitively difficult to secure.

“Some say that GSC demanded incredible conditions,” laments Galyonkin; other rumors suggested that “Western publishers do not want a post-apocalyptic story from Eastern Europe.” Galyonkin also says there are suggestions that GSC CEO Sergei Grigorovich was unhappy with the game's progress and becoming (in the evocative phrasing of Google Translate) “stupidly tired.”

It's unlikely you'll see S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 any time soon now that the game's left without a home. Galyonkin admits the game could eventually resurface under a new team – but with the original developers scattered to the nuclear winds, “nothing good will come of it.” Here's a gallery of where the game had gotten to: chances are it's all you'll get...

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GSC Game World studio closure

21 comments

  • NanoElite666 - December 10, 2011 3:13 p.m.

    Well crap. I've been quite enjoying STALKER since picking it up on Steam last holiday season, and this is just a damn shame.

  • talleyXIV - December 10, 2011 2:57 p.m.

    Looks a lot like Fallout 3 with unique twists. I just want to say, that MW3 commercial's budget could have funded this dev to stay alive. If you really think about it.

  • Bloodstorm - December 10, 2011 6:03 a.m.

    I have all the STALKER games, just haven't gotten around to playing much of them. They were unique games though from what I did play. Guess I should finish them.....

  • HamsterGutz - December 10, 2011 5:13 a.m.

    Heard about this on SPUF. makes me super sad :( I got SoC and CoP during the steam summer sale and I loved them, I was looking forward to Stalker 2. :(

  • e1337prodigy - December 10, 2011 1:54 a.m.

    I don't get this. Ok, as far as I know they have made 1 really good game (stalker with an expansion pack as far as I know), it was popular and I'm sure it sold a few 100,000 (maybe closer to 1 million?) around the world. Why have they closed down completely. I suppose this is what you get when everyone pirates it. I hope you are all happy. As for distribution, I'm pretty sure I have seen Stalker on steam. Why not make it Steam only title (ie not available in shops, saves on costs and distribution). most if not everyone has internet connection so can easily be distributed through that (ie similar to indie games; since they struggle with finances too).

  • ThisIsMyFuckingThirdAccount - December 9, 2011 9:31 p.m.

    Was Call of Pripyat not #3? Haven't kept up with the series.

  • kyle94 - December 10, 2011 1:01 a.m.

    I guess the STALKER series was going to be a bit like Grand Theft Auto, in that regard (What with the whole "GTA 3 - Vice City - San Andreas - GTA 4" thing)

  • aequitas13 - December 9, 2011 7:53 p.m.

    Wow thanks for ruining my weekend GR! Honestly though, this is a sad day. STALKER was one of the truly unique FPS games left out there. Absolutely loved traversing the Zone! Fingers crossed that Thief 4 doesn't suffer the same fate or I may no longer be friends with my PC.

  • DevonOO7 - December 9, 2011 5:06 p.m.

    This really hurts. Shadow of Chernobyl was a gem of a game that I stumbled upon and bought not knowing anything about the game. It was unlike any other shooter I had played and really brought me into pc gaming. S.T.A.L.K.E.R is, and always will be, one of my favorite series. RIP GSC Game World

  • D0CCON - December 9, 2011 4:57 p.m.

    Well this is a shame. I picked up the Stalker games during a Steam deal and enjoyed them plenty. I certainly would have gotten this. Hopefully another team takes up this offer.

  • JMAN1156 - December 9, 2011 4:32 p.m.

    NO, I LOVE STALKER!!!

  • Stabby_Joe - December 9, 2011 4:24 p.m.

    Oh for fu... ...why must everything I like die before I get to love it?!

  • RedHarlow - December 9, 2011 4:08 p.m.

    NOOOOO!

  • MrPhantom31 - December 9, 2011 4:06 p.m.

    STALKER was possibly the only FPS franchise left that hadn't either totally ditched its fanbase in favor of the console market or obsessed over graphics and accessibility to the point that creativity and design took a second place. And now it's dead... Hopefully the modding community can pick up some of the slack - there's a Russian team that's recreating COP on the Crytek engine.

  • alphaman - December 9, 2011 4:06 p.m.

    Let's return to the Zone one last time, friend. Strelok needs us. Let's go in, don't just stand there, Stalker.

  • UberNoob - December 9, 2011 4:03 p.m.

    Never played any of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games. Not sure if I missed out. I am sure this isn't good news at all. You don't see many PC-focused developers these days.

  • avantguardian - December 9, 2011 3:49 p.m.

    this is bad news for everybody. PARTICULARLY the pc obsessed cod haters of the world.

  • MidianGTX - December 9, 2011 4:09 p.m.

    People who focus on that kind of thing too much deserve this kind of disappointment in their lives.

  • SumthingStupid - December 9, 2011 4:39 p.m.

    yes i totally agree with you 100%, you couldn't of said it any better, people loosing their jobs is a great thing to cause disapointment in the life of avantguardian and terrible, terrible people who are just like him!

  • ThisIsMyFuckingThirdAccount - December 9, 2011 9:26 p.m.

    Yeah, fuck people who do thinky stuff!!

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