GSC Game World
{{Short description|Ukrainian video game developer}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = GSC Game World
| logo = GSC Game World.svg
| type = Private
| industry = Video games
| founded = {{Start date and age|1995}} in Kyiv, Ukraine
| founder = Sergiy Grygorovych
| hq_location = {{ubl
| Kyiv, Ukraine (primary){{cite web
|url=https://www.linkedin.com/company/gsc-gameworld/
|title=GSC Game World — Company profile
|website=LinkedIn
|access-date=9 June 2025}}
| Prague, Czech Republic (secondary){{efn|name=invasion
|As a result of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, GSC Game World temporarily relocated some of their staff to Prague and opened a second office.}}
}}
| key_people = {{ubl
| Ievgen Grygorovych (CEO){{cite web
|url=https://forbes.ua/news/rozrobnik-gri-stalker-poyasniv-rol-maksa-krippi-u-kompanii-16112023-17301
|title=Розробник гри S.T.A.L.K.E.R. пояснив роль Макса Кріппи у компанії
|website=Forbes.ua
|date=16 November 2023
|language=uk
|access-date=9 June 2025}}
}}
| products = {{Unbulleted list|class=nowrap|Cossacks series|S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series}}
| owner = Maksym Krippa{{cite web
|url=https://fullsync.co.uk/what-has-changed-at-gsc-game-world/
|title=What has changed at GSC Game World: Maksym Krippa and the new era of Stalker
|website=FullSync
|date=7 May 2025
|access-date=9 June 2025}}
| num_employees = 460{{cite web
|url=https://venturebeat.com/games/how-the-developers-of-stalker-2-weathered-the-ukraine-war-to-make-their-game-the-deanbeat/
|title=How the developers of Stalker 2 weathered the Ukraine war to make their game
|website=VentureBeat
|date=30 August 2024
|access-date=9 June 2025}}
| num_employees_year = 2024
| divisions = GSC World Publishing
| website = {{URL|https://gsc-game.com/}}
}}
GSC Game World is a Ukrainian video game developer based in Kyiv with a second temporary office in Prague.{{efn|name=invasion}} Founded in Kyiv in 1995 by Sergiy Grygorovych, it is best known for the Cossacks and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series of games. GSC Game World was the first company in Ukraine to localize PC games to the Russian language. In 2002, it became a publishing house, GSC World Publishing.
History
= Founding and early activity =
The company was founded in 1995 by Sergiy Grygorovych ({{langx|uk|Сергій Костянтинович Григорович|Serhiy Kostyantynovych Hryhorovych}}), who became chief executive officer (CEO).{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-30-stalker-whos-the-rightful-heir |title=STALKER: Who's the rightful heir? |author=Seeder, Ben |date=2014-06-30 |website=Gamesindustry.biz |publisher=Gamer Network |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706163125/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-30-stalker-whos-the-rightful-heir |archive-date=2014-07-06 |url-status=live }} He came up with the company name and emblem in 1993, aged 15. "GSC" are the initials of his name in the transliteration "Grygorovych Sergiy Constantinovich". Later Grygorovych explained this decision:{{cite web |url=https://itc.ua/articles/gsc_-_kompaniya_i_chelovek_intervyu_s_sergeem_grigorovichem_18430/ |title=GSC – компания и человек. Интервью с Сергеем Григоровичем |author=Данилов, Олег |date=2004-09-22 |website=ITC.ua |publisher=ITC Publishing |language=ru |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902120644/http://itc.ua/articles/gsc_-_kompaniya_i_chelovek_intervyu_s_sergeem_grigorovichem_18430 |archive-date=2017-09-02 |url-status=live }}
{{Cquote
| quote = My father used to say that you have to devote your life to making a name for yourself so that later there would be something to be proud of. And so I used my initials to name the company.
| author = Sergiy Grygorovych
}}
By 1996, the company employed fifteen people in a two-room apartment.{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2013/9/8/4568598/stalker-fallout-gsc-game-world |title=Stalker fallout: Polygon traces the exodus from Kiev's legendary GSC Game World |author=Hall, Charlie |date=2013-09-08 |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516032644/https://www.polygon.com/features/2013/9/8/4568598/stalker-fallout-gsc-game-world |archive-date=2018-05-16 |url-status=live }} Early employees included Grygorovych's younger brother, Evgeniy, and Andrew Prokhorov.{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2015/2/10/8015005/gsc-game-world-says-it-will-defend-the-stalker-franchise-plans-to |title=GSC Game World says it will defend the STALKER franchise, plans to announce its next title soon |author=Hall, Charlie |date=2015-02-10 |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224062512/https://www.polygon.com/2015/2/10/8015005/gsc-game-world-says-it-will-defend-the-stalker-franchise-plans-to |archive-date=2019-02-24 |url-status=live }} The company was the first in Ukraine to translate video games into Russian, additionally creating multimedia CD-ROM encyclopedias.{{cite web |url=https://smns-games.com/mynule-gsc-game-world/ |title=Минуле GSC Game World |date=2015-12-04 |website=SMNS Games |language=uk |access-date=2021-09-26 }}{{cite web |url=https://nestor.minsk.by/kg/1998/05/kg80518d.htm |title=Французская живопись |author=Запольскис, Александр |date=1998-02-07 |website=Компьютерная газета |language=ru |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904005439/http://www.nestor.minsk.by/kg/1998/05/kg80518d.htm |archive-date=2019-09-04 |url-status=live }}
= Game development =
In 1997 the company started developing its first video game, but difficulties in development led to its quick abandonment.
{{quote box |quote=I remembered the principle: if you want to do something but don't know what exactly, look at the others and don't do the same. Our market didn't demand intellect in those times, so we decided to target the western audience. Moreover, the CIS market was unstable after the 1998 crisis. |author=Sergiy Grygorovych |width=300px }}
In 1998, after the economic crisis in Russia, GSC reoriented to the Western market, developing real-time strategy games. GSC unsuccessfully tried to get a contract for the development of Warcraft 3 from Blizzard Entertainment.{{cite web |url=http://www.exgsc.com/?p=661 |title=Игры GSC: Хронология разработок |author=Мурыгин, Вячеслав |date=2010-04-24 |website=ExGSC.com |language=ru |access-date=2021-09-26 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819234624/http://www.exgsc.com/?p=661 |archive-date=2014-08-19 }} According to the CEO, they were rejected due to Blizzard's distrust of Grygorovych's youth. By the end of 1998, the company finished its debut commercial game, WarCraft 2000: Nuclear Epidemic.{{cite web |url=https://nestor.minsk.by/kg/1999/03/kg90323.html |title=WarCraft 2000: Nuclear Epidemic |author=Маслюков, Иван |date=1999-01-23 |website=Компьютерная газета |language=ru |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422103627/https://nestor.minsk.by/kg/1999/03/kg90323.html |archive-date=2012-04-22 |url-status=live }} It was powered by its own engine, which was subsequently reused by Cossacks: European Wars. Nuclear Epidemic distinguished itself from other strategy games of the time with its increased unit size limits. At the beginning of 1999, it was released for free online. They began development on another project titled DoomCraft, which was shuttered six months later in favor of the development of Cossacks.
= Company debut =
In 2001, GSC Game World released the real-time strategy game for Windows, Cossacks: European Wars. It was the first game that brought the company financial success and global recognition. Later that year, GSC Game World released the tactical first-person shooter Codename: Outbreak and an expansion for Cossacks named Cossacks: The Art of War. In the same year, GSC began developing a story-driven shooter based on the Stargate series concept and Aztec architecture. It was powered by a custom X-Ray Engine, which rendered high-quality images and supported many modern technologies. The project was titled Oblivion Lost.
{{Cquote
| quote = At the beginning, we developed a game with a plot about the war of robots and aliens in the entourage of nature and the Aztec pyramids.
But at every meeting, we said to ourselves: "We are doing complete nonsense."
| author = Sergiy Grygorovych
| source = about the canceled game Oblivion Lost
}}
In 2002, the company released the combat hovercraft arcade racing game Hover Ace: Combat Racing Zone and another expansion to Cossacks called Cossacks: Back to War. At the end of that year, a new real-time strategy game named American Conquest was released. Also, in March 2002, after the GSC Game World company trip to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, the Oblivion Lost concept was wholly revised and used the Chernobyl disaster as a foundation. The game was called Stalker: Oblivion Lost, but soon the name changed to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Oblivion Lost, due to copyright complications with the word "Stalker". The rendering system was reworked. The game was scheduled to be released at the end of 2003.
In 2003, the company released the addition American Conquest: Fight Back and the first-person shooter FireStarter. Also, the development of the first-person shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Oblivion Lost continued, and THQ became its publisher. By their recommendation, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl became the official name that got the first accurate release date – the middle of 2004.
In 2004, GSC opened GSC World Publishing, a division that would publish GSC's games in countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and in Europe. Together with Ubisoft on 20 November 2004, it published its own developed RTS game Alexander, the official game based on Oliver Stone's movie Alexander. The release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl was postponed by THQ to 2005 due a transition to a new rendering process. In 2005, a sequel of the Cossacks strategy, Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars, was released. In February 2005, the release of Shadow of Chernobyl was postponed indefinitely. In 2006, the company released an expansion for the Cossacks series titled Cossacks II: Battle for Europe, and a new real-time strategy role-playing game, Heroes of Annihilated Empires.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/10/02/heroes-of-annihilated-empires-interview |title=Heroes of Annihilated Empires Interview |author=Aihoshi, Richard |date=2004-10-02 |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924194943/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/10/02/heroes-of-annihilated-empires-interview |archive-date=2021-09-24 |url-status=live }} The company released a statement that Shadow of Chernobyl should be released in the first quarter of 2007. At the beginning of the year, some GSC employees left the company to found 4A Games studio.
On 20 March 2007, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl was officially released. On 24 March 2007, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. held the eighth position in the sales charts for various platforms, and the first position among PC games according to the rating of British organization ELSPA.{{cite web |url=https://soc.stalker-game.com/?page=news&item=25 |title=S.T.A.L.K.E.R. in sales charts |date=2007-03-27 |website=stalker-game.com |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 }} On 12 February 2008, 950 thousand copies in the CIS and 700 thousand copies elsewhere in the world were sold, which made S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl the most successful project of GSC Game World to date.{{cite web |url=https://www.igromania.ru/news/32718/Stalker_i_cifry.html |title=Сталкер и цифры |author=Чаплюк, Андрей |date=2008-02-12 |website=Igromania |publisher=Igromedia |language=ru |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711223658/https://www.igromania.ru/news/32718/Stalker_i_cifry.html |archive-date=2021-07-11 |url-status=live }}
The worldwide success of Shadow of Chernobyl pushed the company to develop its next project.{{cite web |url=https://gsc-game.com/index.php?t=press&s=press_rel&ss=14 |title=GSC Game World will present new titles in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. line-up at E3 2007 |date=2007-05-16 |website=gsc-game.com |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071005032545/https://gsc-game.com/index.php?t=press&s=press_rel&ss=14 |archive-date=2007-10-05 |url-status=live }} On 5 December 2007, a mobile game, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Mobile, was created by Qplaze in conjunction with GSC. On 22 August 2008, the stand-alone expansion S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky was released, a prequel for Shadow of Chernobyl. A sequel for Shadow of Chernobyl, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, was released on 2 October 2009, the third game in the series.
In 2009, GSC began work on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. The company officially announced the game on 13 August 2010.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}} During development, the company shrank from 200 employees to 50. It had previously been the largest video game developer in Eastern Europe. Financial services company Ernst & Young named Grygorovych Ukraine's "entrepreneur of the year" in February 2011. On 9 December 2011, the Ukrainian News Agency, published a message with a statement from GSC Game World CEO Sergiy Grygorovych that the company had dissolved. Development of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 game was discontinued.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/stalker-2-canceled/1100-6373393/ |title=S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 canceled |author=Makuch, Eddie |date=2012-04-25 |website=GameSpot |publisher=Red Ventures |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131119151028/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/stalker-2-canceled/1100-6373393/ |archive-date=2013-11-19 |url-status=live }} Grygorovych stated that he did so for personal reasons. Studio spokesperson Valentine Yeltyshev said that the studio's financial situation played a minor role in the dissolution.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-12-10-its-a-hard-time-for-ukraine-but-a-good-time-to-be-a-proud-ukrainian |title=It's a hard time for Ukraine, but a good time to be a proud Ukrainian |author=Pearson, Dan |date=2014-12-10 |website=Gamesindustry.biz |publisher=Gamer Network |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828233307/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-12-10-its-a-hard-time-for-ukraine-but-a-good-time-to-be-a-proud-ukrainian |archive-date=2021-08-28 |url-status=live }}
= Revival =
At the end of 2014, GSC Game World re-opened and announced that it was working on a new game.{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/12/22/7435791/gsc-gameworld-reopens-has-a-good-laugh-announces-announces-new-stalker |title=The original developer of STALKER re-opens, has a good laugh, announces new game |author=Hall, Charlie |date=2014-12-22 |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221100110/https://www.polygon.com/2014/12/22/7435791/gsc-gameworld-reopens-has-a-good-laugh-announces-announces-new-stalker |archive-date=2018-02-21 |url-status=live }} The company founder's brother Evgeniy Grygorovych ({{langx|uk|Євген Григорович|Evhen Hryhorovych}}) became its new CEO.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSlIf4ECTgU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/mSlIf4ECTgU |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=GSC Game World про створення гри "Козаки 3" |author=Hromadske |author-link=Hromadske |date=2015-06-29 |language=uk, ru |via=YouTube |access-date=2021-09-26 }}{{cbignore}}{{cite web |url=https://games.mail.ru/pc/articles/feat/gsc_game_world_my_ne_zakladyvaem_politicheskie_idei_v_nash_novyj_proekt/ |title=GSC Game World: "Мы не закладываем политические идеи в наш новый проект" |author=Курган, Георгий |date=2014-12-25 |website=Игры Mail.ru |publisher=Mail.ru Group |language=ru |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227225726/https://games.mail.ru/pc/articles/feat/gsc_game_world_my_ne_zakladyvaem_politicheskie_idei_v_nash_novyj_proekt/ |archive-date=2014-12-27 |url-status=live }} In May 2015, the company announced Cossacks 3, a remake of the first Cossacks game, including "all its original gameplay".{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2015/5/18/8615339/cossacks-3-announcement-release-date-gsc-stalker |title=The company that made STALKER is back with their next game, Cossacks 3 |author=Hall, Charlie |date=2015-05-18 |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516032418/https://www.polygon.com/features/2015/5/18/8615339/cossacks-3-announcement-release-date-gsc-stalker |archive-date=2018-05-16 |url-status=live }} The game was released on 20 September 2016 on Steam, after which, the game was finalized and updated.{{cite journal |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/when-does-cossacks-3-come-out |title=GSC Game World's Cossacks 3 Charging Into September |author=Santiago-Vancak, Gabriella |date=2016-07-24 |journal=Rock Paper Shotgun |publisher=Gamer Network |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130172926/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/07/24/when-does-cossacks-3-come-out/ |archive-date=2020-11-30 |url-status=live }}
On 15 May 2018, GSC re-announced S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/05/15/stalker-2-revealed-coming-in-2021 |title=S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Revealed, Coming in 2021 |author=Oloman, Jordan |date=2018-05-15 |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516041054/http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/05/15/stalker-2-revealed-coming-in-2021 |archive-date=2018-05-16 |url-status=live }} The game was released on 20 November 2024,{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Wes |date=16 January 2024 |title=S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl has been delayed again. |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/16/24040171/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-heart-of-chornobyl-has-been-delayed-again |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124051543/https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/16/24040171/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-heart-of-chornobyl-has-been-delayed-again |archive-date=2024-01-24 |access-date=January 23, 2024 |website=The Verge}} for Windows and the Xbox Series X/S.
In 2020, Ukrainian businessman Maksym Krippa acquired a 40% stake in the company, and in 2023, he acquired an additional 42%.{{Cite web |title="Я фанат серії S.T.A.L.K.E.R.". Бізнесмен Максим Кріппа розповів, як став власником студії GSC Game World |url=https://dev.ua/news/iak-maksym-krippa-stav-vlasnykom-gsc-1734522348 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=dev.ua |language=uk-UA}}
= Russian invasion of Ukraine =
When the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine began, GSC paused development on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. The company used social media to urge fans and game journalists to donate to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and provided special accounts for donations.{{cite tweet|number=1496846089114300422|user=stalker_thegame|title=As of today, the Russian Federation has officially declared war on Ukraine. Our country woke up with the sounds of explosions and weapons fire, but is ready to defend its freedom and independence, for it remains strong and ready for anything. The future is unknown, but we hope for the best, are ever sure of our armed forces and our belief in Ukraine.|date=24 February 2022}}{{Cite web |title=Inwazja Rosji na Ukrainę - cios w gamingowe serce Europy? |url=https://www.logo24.pl/Logo24/7,154809,28285304,inwazja-rosji-na-ukraine-cios-w-gamingowe-serce-europy.html |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=Logo24 |language=pl}} By May 2022, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2's development resumed after part of the team had been relocated to Prague, allowing them to continue working safely.{{cite web |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/gsc-game-world-are-back-working-on-stalker-2-again |title= GSC Game World are back working on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 again |access-date=October 19, 2022 |first=CJ |last=Wheeler |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |date=May 23, 2022}} One former GSC Game World developer, Volodymyr Yezhov, was killed in action near Bakhmut in December 2022.{{cite magazine |url=https://videogames.si.com/news/stalker-dev-dies-ukraine-war |title=STALKER dev dies in Ukraine war, official account pays respect |first=Ryan |last=Woodrow |date=27 December 2022 |magazine=Video Games on Sports Illustrated |access-date=27 December 2022}} On December 27, 2022, a farewell ceremony for Yezhov was held in the Volodymyr Cathedral with the participation of a military guard, which was attended by many people.{{Cite web|url=https://censor.net/ua/photo_news/3389572/iz_ukrayinskym_zahysnykom_ta_odnym_iz_rozrobnykiv_gry_stalker_volodymyrom_yejovym_yakyyi_zagynuv_u_boyah|title=Із українським захисником та одним із розробників гри S.T.A.L.K.E.R Володимиром Єжовим, який загинув у боях під Бахмутом, попрощалися в Києві. ВІДЕО+ФОТОрепортаж|website=Цензор.НЕТ}}
Games
= Cancelled games =
Game engines
Vital Engine is a game engine created for Codename: Outbreak,{{cite web |url=http://www.gsc-game.com/english/venom.htm |title=Venom |website=gsc-game.com |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991207100739/http://www.gsc-game.com/english/venom.htm |archive-date=1999-12-07 }} and later used for the Xenus games series (Boiling Point: Road to Hell and White Gold: War in Paradise) and The Precursors game by the Ukrainian developer Deep Shadows.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamershell.com/companies/deep_shadows/464570.html |title=Deep Shadows Announces Optimization of White Gold and Precursors for Intel-based Multi-core Processor Systems |author=Deep Shadows |date=2008-07-16 |website=GamersHell.com |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006045058/http://www.gamershell.com/companies/deep_shadows/464570.html |archive-date=2015-10-06 }}
X-Ray Engine is a game engine created for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games series. X-Ray uses the free physics engine Open Dynamics Engine elements.{{cite journal |author=Михайлов, Юрий |date=April 2010 |title=S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl: История создания игры. Часть 1 |url=http://www.lki.ru/text.php?id=5695 |journal=Лучшие компьютерные игры |publisher=ТехноМир |issue=101 |language=ru |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303143958/http://www.lki.ru/text.php?id=5695 |archive-date=2017-03-03 |url-status=live }}{{cite journal |author=Сингаевский, Ярослав |date=March 2007 |title=S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Хронология – Дорога длиною в семь лет |url=http://stalker-epos.com/articles/gameplay-03-07/gameplay-03-2007-hronologiya-stalkera.pdf |journal=Gameplay |publisher=ITC Publishing |issue=19 |pages=18–23 |language=ru |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015182247/http://stalker-epos.com/articles/gameplay-03-07/gameplay-03-2007-hronologiya-stalkera.pdf |archive-date=2012-10-15 |url-status=live }}{{cite journal |date=May 2007 |title=Путь одного "Сталкера" – Дорога длиною в семь лет |url=http://stalker-epos.com/articles/shpil-05-07/shpil_stalker.pdf |journal=Шпиль |publisher=Шарп Віжн |issue=19 |pages=2–9 |issn=1819-5954 |language=ru |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130180426/http://stalker-epos.com/articles/shpil-05-07/shpil_stalker.pdf |archive-date=2012-01-30 |url-status=live }}
Legacy
Studios formed by teams and members from the GSC studio:
- Deep Shadows was founded 30 August 2001 in Kyiv by Sergiy Zabaryansky and Roman Lut. Deep Shadows games use the Vital Engine, developed by the company's founders while at GSC.{{cite web |url=http://gamestone.ru/interview/vital/14_06_99.shtml |title=Интервью с Сергеем Забарянским |date=1999-06-14 |website=GameStone.ru |language=ru |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990822161921/http://gamestone.ru/interview/vital/14_06_99.shtml |archive-date=1999-08-22 }}
- 4A Games was founded 2 March 2006 by a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. concept art team member. The company's employees immediately started creating their debut project, Metro 2033: The Last Refuge. 4A Games later developed the Metro game series.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/28/games-from-the-real-world-post-apocalypse |title=Games from the Real-World Post-Apocalypse |author=Wordsworth, Rich |date=2014-01-28 |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201230909/https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/28/games-from-the-real-world-post-apocalypse |archive-date=2014-02-01 |url-status=live }}
- Vostok Games was founded in 2012, after the temporary dissolution of GSC. The organization is developing and supporting the original post-apocalyptic online game Survarium. It also developed Fear the Wolves, a battle royale game released in 2019.
- West-Games was founded in 2012, originally under the name Union Studio, by chief executive officer Eugene Kim, who had formerly been GSC's team lead and software developer.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/rumour-ex-stalker-devs-form-union-studio-developing-falloutrage-inspired-shooter/ |title=Rumour: Ex-STALKER devs form Union Studio, developing Fallout/Rage inspired shooter |author=Senior, Tom |date=2012-06-01 |magazine=PC Gamer |publisher=Future plc |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629012610/https://www.pcgamer.com/rumour-ex-stalker-devs-form-union-studio-developing-falloutrage-inspired-shooter/ |archive-date=2021-06-29 |url-status=live }} Kim had worked on GSC's canceled browser-based S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Online massively multiplayer online game, while five other employees had worked on prior S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games. In 2013, Union Studio reorganized as West-Games, and in June 2014, the studio launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for a supposed spiritual successor to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. called Areal.{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-26-that-s-t-a-l-k-e-r-y-areal-kickstarter-whats-going-on |title=That S.T.A.L.K.E.R.y Areal Kickstarter: What's going on? |author=Purchese, Robert |date=2014-06-26 |website=Eurogamer |publisher=Gamer Network |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111225326/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-26-that-s-t-a-l-k-e-r-y-areal-kickstarter-whats-going-on |archive-date=2020-11-11 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/6/24/5838800/areal-stalker-kickstarter |title=STALKER devs working on survival horror spiritual successor Areal |author=Tach, Dave |date=2014-06-24 |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624205843/https://www.polygon.com/2014/6/24/5838800/areal-stalker-kickstarter |archive-date=2021-06-24 |url-status=live }} The campaign was highly criticized because of the game's trailer, which almost exclusively used footage from previous S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games.{{cite web |url=https://www.vg247.com/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-areal-vostock-sparks-legal-and-fraud-threats |title=Update: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. successor scandal is media-fabricated, dev claims |author=Cook, Dave |date=2014-07-02 |website=VG247 |publisher=Gamer Network |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026130117/https://www.vg247.com/2014/07/02/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-areal-vostock-sparks-legal-and-fraud-threats/ |archive-date=2018-10-26 |url-status=live }} When asked to provide images from the game, representatives of West-Games presented screenshots of a landscape that was a slightly modified version of a pre-designed asset available for purchase on the "Asset Store" for the Unity game engine. Several parties, including the "MISERY" mod developer, stated that the project was a scam. Of the initially sought US $50,000, Areal raised almost $65,000, however, in July 2014, two days before its campaign closed, the project was suspended from Kickstarter, with Kickstarter citing guideline violations.{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/7/22/5927175/areal-kickstarter-suspended-stalker-west-games |title=Kickstarter suspends Ex-STALKER devs' Areal campaign, West Games turns to direct funding |author=McWhertor, Michael |date=2014-07-22 |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628183243/https://www.polygon.com/2014/7/22/5927175/areal-kickstarter-suspended-stalker-west-games |archive-date=2021-06-28 |url-status=live }} West-Games initially claimed to have switched to private funding, though announced another crowdfunding campaign, this time on Wefunder, in December 2014, seeking $600,000 to produce a game called S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Apocalypse.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/areal-devs-are-back-want-money-for-stalker-apocalypse/ |title=Areal devs are back, want money for STALKER Apocalypse |author=Savage, Phil |date=2014-12-12 |magazine=PC Gamer |publisher=Future plc |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826100936/https://www.pcgamer.com/areal-devs-are-back-want-money-for-stalker-apocalypse/ |archive-date=2021-08-26 |url-status=live }} When GSC reformed, the studio stated that West-Games was legally not allowed to develop a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game, as GSC held all rights to the franchise.
- Flying Cafe for Semianimals was founded in 2015 by the creative director Ilya Tolmachev, who was previously engaged in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. The company's debut game was Cradle.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/cradle-a-dreamlike-exploration-game-set-in-the-strange-plains-of-sci-fi-mongolia/ |title=Cradle: a dreamlike exploration game set in the strange plains of sci-fi Mongolia |author=Warr, Philippa |date=2013-07-31 |magazine=PC Gamer |publisher=Future plc |language=en |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504053309/https://www.pcgamer.com/cradle-a-dreamlike-exploration-game-set-in-the-strange-plains-of-sci-fi-mongolia/ |archive-date=2016-05-04 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.pl/articles/2015-08-03-cradle-recenzja |title=Cradle – Recenzja |author=Kłosiński, Daniel |date=2015-08-03 |website=Eurogamer.pl |publisher=Gamer Network |language=pl |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823115031/https://www.eurogamer.pl/articles/2015-08-03-cradle-recenzja |archive-date=2015-08-23 |url-status=live }}
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website|https://gsc-game.com/}}
- [https://gsc-game.com/index.php?t=news Old website]
{{GSC Game World}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Companies based in Kyiv
Category:Privately held companies of Ukraine
Category:Video game companies established in 1995
Category:Video game companies of Ukraine