The highly anticipated survival horror shooter, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, achieved phenomenal success in its home country, Ukraine, causing a temporary nationwide internet slowdown due to the massive influx of simultaneous downloads.
A Nation-Wide Gaming Phenomenon
The game's November 20th launch overwhelmed Ukrainian internet infrastructure. Providers Tenet and Triolan reported significant speed reductions in the evening, directly attributed to the surge in downloads. Triolan's Telegram 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." Even after download completion, many players encountered login and loading delays. The internet disruption lasted for several hours before resolving.
GSC Game World, the Ukrainian developer, expressed both pride and surprise at this 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! For us and our team, what's most important is, 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."
Record-Breaking Sales Despite Challenges
Despite performance issues and bugs, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 sold an impressive 1 million copies within just two days of its release, demonstrating its immense popularity worldwide, particularly in Ukraine. The game's launch faced multiple delays due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, but GSC Game World, operating from offices in Kyiv and Prague, persevered. The studio remains dedicated to addressing the game's technical issues through ongoing patch releases, with a third major patch recently deployed.
