Never Expected a Corporation of This Size to Be So Supportive

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl has been a long time coming. And the road to its release has been a rollercoaster ride for GSC Game World. From the political disruptions to repeated delays, it has been anything but smooth. But amidst all the challenges, the game’s developers have found an unlikely ally in Microsoft.

The gaming industry is full of stories of collaborations between developers and major corporations. But not all of them are positive. Unlike other developers who’ve struggled with certification and communication issues, GSC Game World has praised the corporation’s supportive nature.

Microsoft Was a Big Part Of STALKER 2’s Journey To Release

When it comes to large companies in gaming, developers face deadlines and pressure to meet certain milestones. However, GSC Game World’s experience with Xbox has been quite the opposite. At Gamescom 2024, GSC Game World’s lead producer, Slava Lukyanenka talked to The Gamer about STALKER 2’s development journey.

After months of development with little external feedback, the team was unsure how their project would be received. Lukyanenka spoke about their initial concerns regarding optimizing the game for Xbox consoles.

Personally, I never expected a corporation of this size to be so supportive. I can’t say the exact cases, but they helped in situations where they were not exactly supposed to.

Instead, Xbox’s technical teams stepped in with crucial support, helping the studio go through the complex process of developing for both the Series X and the Series S.

I never expected a corporation to be this close to the developers who are in a bad situation…. That’s the professional connection we value a lot, because it would have been much different without them.

Lukyanenka noted that the game currently runs at 35 FPS on the Xbox Series S, with room for optimization. The Xbox team has been heavily involved in helping GSC Game World in the optimization process.

STALKER 2 has gone through a lot since it was announced. While political situations created unavoidable delays, the game is now back on track with a projected release of November 20, 2024.

What We Should Focus On Is That STALKER 2 Is Finally Coming

This level of patience and understanding from Xbox contrasts sharply with recent stories from other developers. For instance, Jyamma Games, the developers behind Enotria: The Last Song, publicly criticized Xbox for months of radio silence regarding the game’s certification process.

Video games that faced/facing different types of issues launching on Xbox Series🚀

✅Baldur’s Gate 3
✅Black Myth Wukong
✅Dune: Awakening
✅Enotria: The Last Song

Do you think demanding parity between Series S and X negatively impacted this generation?🥺 pic.twitter.com/tKSO3blsYx

— Rino (@RinoTheBouncer) September 2, 2024

Their game was delayed indefinitely on Xbox, with the studio accusing Microsoft of ignoring their requests for months. It wasn’t until the situation gained public attention that Microsoft stepped in to resolve the issues.

The challenges of optimizing for the Xbox Series S are not unique to GSC Game World. Other developers, like those behind Baldur’s Gate 3, have encountered difficulties working with the console, citing its lower hardware specifications as a major obstacle.

As STALKER 2 approaches its November 20 release date, GSC Game World acknowledges the role its community has played in keeping the STALKER franchise alive during its 15-year hiatus, and they are committed to providing tools for fans to continue expanding the game world long after release.

Will you be playing STALKER 2 when it comes out? Let us know in the comments!