S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Delays Ukrainian Broadband Due to Popularity

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

A Nation Enters The Zone

The game's popularity overwhelmed Ukraine's internet infrastructure. On November 20th, launch day, internet providers Tenet and Triolan reported a dramatic drop in internet speeds during the evening, directly attributed to the simultaneous downloads by thousands of Ukrainian players. Triolan's statement, as translated, 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.

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

Creative director Mariia Grygorovych shared, "It was difficult for the entire country, and the internet disruption was a negative aspect, but at the same time, it was amazing!" She emphasized the positive impact: "For our team, the most important thing is that we brought a little joy to people in Ukraine. We accomplished something positive for our home country."

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2's popularity is undeniable, reaching 1 million copies sold within just two days of its release. Despite performance issues and bugs, the game's sales were exceptionally strong globally, particularly in Ukraine.

GSC Game World, a Ukrainian studio operating from Kyiv and Prague, faced challenges bringing the game to market due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which caused multiple launch delays. Despite these obstacles, the November release was a success. The studio remains committed to addressing bugs and optimizing the game, recently releasing its third major patch.