Stalker 2's Popularity Cripples Ukrainian Internet

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. This article delves into the game's launch and the developers' reaction to this unprecedented event.

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 significant speed reductions in the evening, directly attributed to the massive simultaneous downloads by Ukrainian players. 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.

Even after successfully downloading the game, many players encountered login and loading difficulties. The internet disruption lasted for hours before resolving as downloads completed. GSC Game World, the developer, expressed both pride and surprise at this outcome.

Creative director Mariia Grygorovych commented, "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 continued, emphasizing the positive impact: "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 release. We did something for our home country, something good for them."

Underscoring its popularity, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 achieved 1 million copies sold within just two days of its release. Despite acknowledged 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. However, the team persevered, releasing the game in November. They remain dedicated to addressing bugs and optimizing performance, recently releasing their third major patch.