Stalker 2 dev tells pro-Russian hackers that "attempts to intimidate us are completely futile" amid blackmail threat

Stalker 2 developer GSC Game World has responded to reports it has been hacked by a pro-Russian outfit, confirming that the group is seeking to "blackmail and intimidate" the studio.

As spotted by GameRant, it seems the studio received demands to "apologize for the unworthy attitude towards ordinary players from [Russia and Belarus]" and reinstall the game's Russian localization. If the demands were not met by March 15, the hackers threatened to release "tens of gigabytes" of material taken from the unreleased game.

GSC Game World remain defiant, however. In a statement, the studio asked players to "refrain from watching or distributing information" about the game, particularly as outdated and work-in-progress materials "may dilute the impression of the final" version. 

"Recently, our employee's account for a collective work-with-images application was hacked," the team said in a statement posted to the developer's official Twitter account. "The responsibility for this 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. We have faced blackmail, acts of aggression, hacks, attempts to hurt players and fans, and efforts to damage the development process or the reputation of our company. 

"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 deaths of our loved ones. Attempts to blackmail or intimidate us are completely futile.

"Our unwavering commitment to supporting our country remains unchanged – we will continue to do everything possible to support Ukraine. And this won't change in the future under any circumstances."

The statement says the team remains "strong and courageous", "because when you believe in something and love it with all your heart, you have to defend it at all costs".

"We have been through a lot. However, these challenges only encourage us to work even harder because we believe that the truth is on our side. Evil will never win."

Stalker 2 was initially scheduled to release in December 2022 but has been delayed due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Work on the game has reportedly resumed, and Steam says the game is set to release in December 2023. If you're keen to get involved and would like to support the devs ahead of release, pre-orders are now open, although don't forget that Stalker 2's Ultimate Edition recently increased in price from later this month after GSC said that "to keep the quality of all the collectible items at the desired level during these uneasy times". 

Stalker 2 is taking us back to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, and it has quickly become one of our most anticipated upcoming horror games, and we've described as "shaping up to be one of the most impressive upcoming horror games of the year". 

Horror isn't just for Halloween, you know - here are our tips for the very best horror games.