S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 developer GSC Game World has revealed it has been hacked by a group of Russians which is now using the stolen data to “blackmail and intimidate” the studio.
Ukrainian developer GSC Game World has reported that a group from a Russian social network has hacked an employee’s account and is now using the obtained personal data and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl files for blackmail and intimidation. The developer has asked that players ignore any leaks that might come from this and refrain from sharing them.
Russian hackers target Ukrainian S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 developer GSC Game World
GSC Game World has warned that leaks could appear for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, one of the games coming to Game Pass later this year, and has asked that players refrain from looking at or sharing it. In a statement on the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Twitter account, GSC said that an “employee’s account for a collective work-with-images application was hacked,” which has been claimed by a “community from a Russian social network” for “blackmail and intimidation.” The developer says that it’s withstood cyber-attacks for over a year, which have included “blackmail, acts of aggression, hacks, attempts to hurt players and fans, and efforts to damage the development process or the reputation of our company.”
What data has been obtained is currently unclear, but the Ukrainian developer says that any attempts to intimidate it are “completely futile,” as it won’t stop supporting its country under any circumstances.
“In the event of any leaks, we ask that you refrain from watching or distributing information about S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Outdated and work-in-progress materials may dilute the impression of the final idea that we have put into the game,” the statement reads. “We encourage you to stay patient and wait for the official release for the best experience possible. We believe that you will love it.”
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 doesn’t currently have a release date, but it’s expected to launch later this year for Xbox Series X|S and PC while simultaneously dropping into Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
