Stalker 2 developer helped design a game-themed supermarket in Kyiv

Stalker 2
(Image credit: GSC Game World)

The Stalker series is a pretty strange source of inspiration for a food store, but here we are. 

As reported by BZH Life, the Ukrainian supermarket chain Silpo has designed a new store in the style of the survival horror FPS Stalker. It opens its doors today and is located on Martovskaya Street next to the Comfort Town residential complex. To give it an authentic feel, GSC Game World, the studio behind 2007's Stalker and its highly anticipated sequel Stalker 2, was involved in the creation of the store's unique design.

The idea for a Stalker-esque shopping experience was thought up last summer, but its opening was delayed due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The new Silpo uses equipment evacuated from other stores in the chain, and, according to the site, not all the themed decorations planned for the store are yet in place. Further additions, including mutants from the Stalker series to hover over shoppers as they peruse the aisles, are planned for after the war. We wonder if it'll have a food aisle offering themed supplies from the games, such as Stalker-style energy drinks and canned goods dubbed Tourist's Delight.

GSC Game World had originally planned to release Stalker 2 in December of this year, but had to delay it due to the ongoing war. The Kyiv-based developer has reportedly resumed work on the game from the Czech Republic, and Stalker 2 is now scheduled to launch sometime in 2023. Last week, in celebration of International Cat Day, the developer gave us a sneak peek at the game's mutant kitty foes, and we really wish it hadn't. 

If you want to help the people of Ukraine, consider donating to The Ukrainian Red Cross, which is providing vital aid on the ground; Doctors Without Borders, a group working with local volunteers and healthcare professionals; and The Kyiv Independent, a Ukraine-based English-language newspaper which is keeping the world informed of what's happening on the ground.

Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.