Massive Stalker 2 Ingame Footage Slowed Ukrainian Internet

The highly anticipated survival horror shooter, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, achieved phenomenal success in its home country, Ukraine, to the point of causing a significant nationwide internet slowdown. Let's delve into the details of this remarkable launch and the developers' perspective.

A Nation Enters The Zone

The sheer popularity of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 on its November 20th release date overwhelmed Ukrainian internet infrastructure. Major providers, Tenet and Triolan, reported normal daytime speeds drastically reduced in the evening due to the massive influx of simultaneous downloads. Triolan's Telegram statement, as translated by ITC, cited "increased load on the channels due to the massive interest in the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R." as the cause of the slowdown.

Even after successful downloads, many players encountered login and loading delays. The internet disruption lasted for several hours before resolving as players completed their downloads. GSC Game World, the developer, expressed both pride and surprise at this unprecedented event.

Creative director Mariia Grygorovych shared, "It was hard for the whole country, and it's a bad thing because the internet is important, but at the same time it's like whoa!" She added, "For us and our team, what's most important is that, for some people in Ukraine, they feel a little bit happier than they were before the release. We did something for our home country, something good for them."

This overwhelming popularity translated into impressive sales figures: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 sold a staggering 1 million copies within just two days of its release. Despite acknowledged performance issues and bugs, the game's reception, particularly in Ukraine, was exceptionally strong.

GSC Game World, a Ukrainian studio operating from Kyiv and Prague, faced numerous challenges, including delays caused by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Despite these obstacles, the team persevered, releasing the game in November. They remain dedicated to addressing bugs and optimizing performance, recently releasing their third major patch.