The survival horror shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 proved so immensely popular in Ukraine that it overwhelmed the nation's internet infrastructure. Let's delve into the launch day chaos and the developers' reaction.
Ukraine's Internet Overwhelmed by S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2
The massive demand for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 on its November 20th launch day caused significant internet slowdowns across Ukraine. Major internet providers, Tenet and Triolan, reported normal daytime speeds drastically decreasing in the evening. This was directly attributed to the simultaneous downloads by thousands of Ukrainian players. As reported by ITC, Triolan stated the slowdown was due to "increased load on the channels due to the massive interest in the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R."
Even after successfully downloading the game, many players experienced slow login times and loading issues. The internet disruption lasted for hours before resolving as players completed their downloads. GSC Game World, the developer, expressed both pride and surprise at this event.
Creative director Mariia Grygorovych shared, "It was tough for the whole country, and internet outages are a serious issue, but at the same time, it's incredible!" She added, "For our team, the most important thing is that we brought a little joy to people in Ukraine. We achieved something positive for our home country."
The game's popularity is undeniable. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 sold an impressive 1 million copies within just two days of its release. Despite acknowledged performance issues and bugs, the game sold exceptionally well globally, particularly in its native Ukraine.
GSC Game World, a Ukrainian studio with offices in Kyiv and Prague, faced challenges releasing the game due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which caused multiple launch delays. However, the team persevered, launching the game in November. They remain committed to addressing bugs and optimizing performance, recently releasing their third major patch.
