The release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 on November 20 was a significant milestone for GSC Game World. More than 470 specialists took part in the creation of the game, and the total budget exceeded tens of millions of dollars.

The owner of the company, Maksym Krippa, told Forbes Ukraine about this in an interview, sharing details about the challenges and achievements of the team.

Krippa noted that the priority was to preserve the spirit of the series by adding modern technologies and new game mechanics. According to him, the development required huge resources and time, but the end result justified all the efforts, satisfying both loyal fans and the developers themselves.

Who is behind the development of the cult game

Eugene and Maria Grygorovych, the heart of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe, made an important contribution to the game. They oversaw the creative process and strategic decisions, which helped to preserve the unique atmosphere of the previous installments while adding new elements that made the game special.

During the development phase of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, about 470 specialists joined the game, 270 of whom stayed in Ukraine and the rest worked remotely from abroad. In 2020, when Maksym Krippa became part of GSC Game World, the company employed only 65 people. In four years, the team has grown sevenfold due to the scaling of the project and the expansion of the studio’s ambitions.

Krippa shared that the costs of creating the game were fully recouped within a day and a half after the release. At that time, more than a million copies were sold, which significantly exceeded previous forecasts. Such a high demand indicates a great interest in the game among gamers and fans of the series.

According to Krippa, this success was the result of long and hard work, as well as faith in the potential of the franchise, which remains a cult for many fans.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has not only been successful among players, but has also attracted significant attention on streaming platforms. In November, the game’s broadcasts on Twitch garnered more than 20 million hours of viewing, which indicates a large-scale interest in the new release of the franchise.

And Maksym Krippa also noted that the game’s timely release was made possible by the team’s coordinated work. An important task was not only to complete the project, but also to ensure a healthy balance in the team, avoiding burnout and keeping developers motivated. The main goal was to create a game that would meet the expectations of the community and meet the high expectations of the series’ fans.

“Gameplay is the heart of the game. Errors can be fixed with updates, but if the foundation is weak, no patch can save it,” Krippa emphasized, stressing the importance of the quality of the final product.