STALKER 2 Breaks Ukrainian Web With Surge in 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 due to its immense popularity.

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 massive concurrent downloads by Ukrainian players. 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 successful downloads, many experienced login and loading delays. The internet disruption lasted for hours before resolving.

GSC Game World, the Ukrainian developer, expressed both pride and surprise at this unprecedented 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

The game's popularity is undeniable, with over 1 million copies sold within just two days of its release. This impressive sales figure is particularly noteworthy considering the game's launch performance issues and bugs.

GSC Game World, operating from Kyiv and Prague, faced numerous challenges, including delays caused by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Despite these obstacles, the studio remained committed to the release and is actively addressing bugs and optimizing performance through regular updates, with a third major patch released recently.