Vostok Explains How S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Collapsed

Vostok Games, formerly known as GSC Game World, was working on an ambitious sequel to their famed FPS brand S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Everything eventually fell through and GSC Game World dissolved. One of the members of the team explains how it all went south and what they hope to achieve with their new game Suvarium.

VG 24/7 lays out the details in an upcoming interview they conducted with former GSC World member and current PR and marketing manager for Vostok Games, Oleg Yavorsky.

In a lengthy breakdown of the events that led to GSC Game World closing, Vostok Games emerging out the ashes and the team having to work on from scratch on their new survival MMOFPS, Survarium, Yavorsky lets it all hang out, stating...

“That unfortunately, was a forced move. Back in December 2011, after GSC Game World was unexpectedly closed down by its owner and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 development was ‘frozen’. The team had two choices – scatter and start seeking employment elsewhere or stick together and try to secure some type of investment to continue developing the project we’re all so passionate about.“We opted for the latter. After several months of escapades and negotiations we secured the necessary funding. Then the problem with IP rights occurred as we couldn’t come to an agreement about using the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Brand.”

To turn an extremely long story into a short summary: GSC Game World's boss had been put in a bad bind by investors because they wanted S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 to be a multiplatform FPS release. Unfortunately for the team, that would have extended development time by at least two years (and would have been wasteful given that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is not a game that would have ever turned out right on current gen consoles).

The owner of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. IP wasn't really happy where everything was going and finances were getting tight. The whole thing turned into a nightmare and eventually the team basically went through a bureaucratic nuclear emission storm (not unlike the stalkers in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.) and when it was all done and settled they were no longer GSC Game World, they were no longer working on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and they ended up at Vostok Games designing the post-apocalyptic survival shooter, Survarium.

It's a great piece, and I'm really hoping the team pulls through with their new game, assuming it's not another theme park MOFPS. You can check out the entire piece over at VG 24/7.