S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Release Slowed Ukrainian Internet Because It Was So Popular

The highly anticipated survival horror shooter, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, achieved phenomenal success in its home country, Ukraine, to the point of causing a nationwide internet slowdown. Let's delve into the details of this remarkable launch and the developer's perspective.

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 drops in the evening, directly attributed to the massive influx of simultaneous downloads. 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 successful downloads, many players encountered login and loading delays. 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 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!" She continued, emphasizing the positive impact: "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."

This overwhelming popularity translated into impressive sales figures: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 sold a staggering 1 million copies within just two days of its launch. Despite acknowledged performance issues and bugs, the game's reception was exceptionally strong globally, particularly in Ukraine.

GSC Game World, a Ukrainian studio operating from offices in Kyiv and Prague, faced numerous challenges, including launch delays due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, their commitment resulted in the game's November release. The studio remains dedicated to addressing the game's technical shortcomings through ongoing updates and patch releases, with a third major patch already deployed.