Stalker 2 development reportedly continuing in the Czech Republic

Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl
(Image credit: GSC Game World)

Stalker 2 developer GSC Game World is reportedly resuming operations in the Czech Republic. 

A report first circulated from Czech journalist Pavel Dobrovsky earlier this week, via the tweet below, claiming that GSC Game World would be partly moving from Ukraine to the Czech Republic. Later on, Czech website Vortex was able to confirm that this was indeed the case, and parts of the studio would be moving to the country for the foreseeable future.

It was just earlier this month in March that GSC Game World announced Stalker 2 development would be temporarily put on hold due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian developer said it was "striving to help our employees and their families to survive," but reassured fans of the Stalker games that development on the sequel would continue. Now, it appears development of Stalker 2 will be continuing sooner than might have been expected, but not in Ukraine. 

Recently, Stalker 2's apparently changed the spelling of its subtitle, going from "Heart of Chernobyl" to "Heart of Chornobyl" to reflect the Ukrainian spelling of the power plant, and moving away from the Russian spelling of the location, which the West has typically adopted. 

The situation surrounding Stalker 2, GSC Game World, and Ukraine at large is obviously still developing, and we'll report on any further updates surrounding the developer. 

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, which is working with local volunteers and healthcare professionals; and The Kyiv Independent, a Ukraine-based English-language newspaper which is keeping the world informed on what's happening on the ground.

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.