Russian General Prosecutor Accuses S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Developer of Anti-Russian Propaganda

The Russian General Prosecutor has labeled the activities of the Ukrainian company GSC Game World, developer of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game series, as undesirable.

Financial Support for Ukraine’s Military

According to the Prosecutor's office, GSC Game World is currently focused on providing financial support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine while promoting an image of Russia as an aggressor state. The company also allegedly distributes materials discrediting Russia.

In 2022, the company transferred approximately $17 million to Ukrainian military aid funds, including Lesia UA and the International Charity Fund “Come Back Alive,” which Russian authorities also consider undesirable. The Prosecutor's office claims these funds were used to purchase attack drones, drone components, and vehicles.

Controversial Game Release

In 2024, GSC Game World released a new computer game described by Russian authorities as promoting Ukrainian narratives and containing aggressive Russophobic content. The game, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, launched on November 20, 2024. It is an open-world shooter with horror elements set in a fictionalized version of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

The company blocked sales of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 in Russia on both physical and digital platforms, though preorders made before March 15, 2022, were preserved. Access to all previous titles in the series was also restricted for Russian players on Steam.

Company Background and Political Stance

GSC Game World was founded in 1995 in Kyiv by entrepreneur Sergey Grigorovich and relaunched in 2014 under his brother Evgeny Grigorovich. The company specializes in programming, computer game development, software provision, and IT consulting.

After the outbreak of the military conflict in February 2022, GSC Game World discontinued Russian-language voiceovers for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and stopped selling previous series titles in Russia. From the start, the company openly supported the Ukrainian Armed Forces and replaced its website’s homepage with a manifesto urging donations to Ukrainian funds. In spring 2022, Russian authorities blocked the company’s website following a Prosecutor’s office decision.