They Want Xbox to Fail so Bad- Russian Troll Farms Allegedly Paying Top Dollars to Ruin Stalker 2

It is alleged that paid individuals are reviewing bombing STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl in order to damage the game’s reputation. It was a highly anticipated title that was released earlier this month and is performing well both critically and commercially. However, it appears that some Russians are not interested in seeing it succeed.

A turbulent journey preceded the November 20 launch of STALKER 2. GSC Game World, the game’s developer, had originally planned the game in 2010, but it was eventually canceled. Development didn’t resume until 2018. GSC Game World is situated in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in 2022.

STALKER 2 Is Being Deliberately Review-Bombed by Some Russians

The Russian invasion caused severe instability in the nation, and the army even drafted some developers to fight in the conflict. The game’s subtitle even changed from Chernobyl to Chornobyl in Ukrainian, as the studio was forced to relocate to Prague in the Czech Republic. However, all of these setbacks never prevented GSC Game World from making a stunning game like STALKER 2. But right now, this Russian invasion in the review section of the game is utterly shameless.

There have been numerous social media reports of Russians being paid to write negative reviews of STALKER 2 on TikTok and Steam. Someone is seen offering up to 100 rubles (1.24 dollars) in a Telegram message that was posted on social media in exchange for a bad review on Steam.

In any event, 78% of all gamers like STALKER 2, which shows that the probably orchestrated review bombing hasn’t had much of an impact on the game. It currently has Mostly Positive reviews on Steam.

Although there are a lot of unfavorable reviews for STALKER 2, the majority of them are from players who have played the game for more than ten hours. Even so, there are still a few short negative reviews that might be a part of this review bombing campaign.

Russians Can’t Stand a Good Game Made by a Ukrainian Studio

In retrospect, Russia thinks that STALKER 2 may justify criticism by presenting strong themes that contradict the content. The game’s post-apocalyptic setting is inspired by the Chernobyl nuclear waste site.

The game was originally scheduled for release in February 2022, but due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that year, production was delayed. The fact that Russia’s studio is based in Ukraine may also be the reason for its commanding presence.

Novosty State Duma Deputy Anton Gorelki offered his thoughts on the issue through RIA, a state-owned news outlet. He made it apparent that the game would face severe consequences if it was discovered to be endorsing terrorism or containing anti-Russian and extremist themes.

Legal advisor Mikhail Mushailev warned all Russians that if anyone was discovered to be downloading the game via a VPN or another method, they would be deemed to be aiding a hostile force and would be eligible to be labeled a terrorist by the Russian government.

What’s your thought on STALKER 2?