'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2' Changes Name To Reflect Ukrainian Spelling

The upcoming game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has had its name changed, likely due to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. The game’s developer, GSC Game World, is a Ukraine-based team working from the capital city of Kyiv.

The team have previously spoken out about the abhorrent war being waged on their country by Russia, and have also paused development on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 until a time where it’s more safe to continue and to "help employees survive".

As noticed by PC Gamer, the game’s Steam description changed yesterday, March 14. The subtitle of ‘Heart of Chernobyl’ has now become ‘Heart of Chornobyl’. It’s believed this is to reflect the Ukrainian spelling of the infamous nuclear power plant and surrounding region from the widely used Russian spelling of the word. While it’s not been confirmed, it is now present in many online examples, though the previous name still exists on some older marketing material.

Going to the game’s website show’s a defiant message from the developer, where it states that they “are eternally grateful to our fans, friends and colleagues who’ve already joined the common cause of stopping Russian aggression. [...] But yet the war is not over, and the enemy is not stopping. Right now our families and friends are either trying to find shelter from bombings or are actively assisting those who has already suffered from the occupants.” The message is followed by links to humanitarian outfits helping the country and where monetary donations can be made.

While it might feel a million miles away for most of us, the world of video games has become tied to the conflict in many ways. For example, earlier this month footage from a 2013 video game was widely reported as being from the conflict, purporting to show a Ukrainian fighter jet - the mythical Ghost of Kyiv - shooting down enemy aircraft filmed by witnesses on the ground.