What’s your studio’s mission in one sentence?
Everything is just as in the studio’s name — we love and want to create game worlds. We’re proud to be a Ukrainian company and have been doing this for almost 30 years.
What did you show at gamescom this year?
We showcased a demo version of the game for PS5 to journalists. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was released for PC and Xbox Series X/S on November 20, 2024, and exactly one year later, it will be released on Sony console.
What’s the biggest challenge you faced this year as a game developer in Ukraine?
We released the game amidst a war in our Homeland. We understand what not only Ukrainian developers but literally all Ukrainians are going through — it’s horrific, and it shouldn’t be happening. Ukraine greatly supported S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 — we hope the game was enjoyable (or at least inspiring) for the players.
What does being part of the Ukrainian game dev community mean to you?
It’s an opportunity to draw interest to the country and its culture, to captivate people, and to show our identity to the world. It’s about being proud of our country and sharing that pride. It’s an opportunity to share this pride and love not only with players worldwide but also with our compatriots.
What moment in the recent year made you feel proud to be a game developer?
Probably the period from the release day until the end of the year. It felt like we managed to give people a sense of celebration that everyone needed — including ourselves. We don’t want to make assumptions for others — players should speak for themselves — but the number of reactions, clips, memes, and reviews online exceeded all possible expectations. Fans explored the game, found Easter eggs, played the in-game guitar, and recorded videos – it felt like a true moment of joy. We were nominated for Steam Awards, received awards from the media, watched streaming marathons, and industry veterans spoke warmly about the game. This was noticeable to us, and it felt like a complete closure of one of the most important chapters of our lives.
Are you exploring new IPs or genres except for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2?
We are always considering the possibility of new games and concepts. Right now, we are supporting S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 with updates and developing DLC, but we’ll be happy to share new announcements when the time comes.
What role do you think S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 plays in the international perception of Ukrainian games?
We’d like to believe that we’ve managed to draw attention to Ukraine and Ukrainian game development. Foreign fans write to us that they’ve started learning the Ukrainian language. Media outlets recommend playing in Ukrainian for maximum authenticity. Players are even recording covers of Ukrainian songs, even though it’s not their native language. We hope this trend continues in the future.
Do you feel responsibility as one of Ukraine’s most famous studios?
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was always supposed to be a very Ukrainian game, and during the full-scale war, the importance of this grew. None of the Ukrainians wanted this war, and none of us wanted to finish the game in such conditions. It happened so that completing such a complex game coincided with the most challenging period in the country’s history — and with it came additional responsibility. We worked hard to release the best game possible — and we hope we succeeded.
How do you maintain creativity and motivation in the difficult circumstances of war?
It’s very important to create art, even in the darkest times. Our employees have told us that work was something that actually helped them escape reality. The motivation to make a game that our fans would anticipate and be proud of was higher than ever.
What’s something people don’t know about your team but you wish they knew?
We try to be as open as possible with our players. We’d just like to emphasize once again that we cared deeply, and we tried as hard as we possibly could. We hope that this is felt.
What advice would you give to smaller Ukrainian studios or indie devs trying to break through internationally? These are very tough times, but we sincerely believe that if you approach your work with passion, have your own idea, and have a vibrant identity you want to share with others — nothing can stop you. Don’t listen to those who say it won’t work — believe in yourself. We want you to create, we want to play your games, and we sincerely believe you’ll succeed.
Through resilience and creativity, the studio is showing the world that Ukrainian games are not only technically excellent but deeply meaningful. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 isn’t just a game, it’s a testament to the strength of Ukraine’s game dev community.
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