The highly anticipated release of the post-apocalyptic shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl is just days away, but the game has already sparked controversy—particularly in Russia.

A Political Scandal in Russia

The Russian State Duma’s Deputy Chairman for Information Policy, Anton Gorelkin, hinted at a potential ban on the game in Russia due to its development by the Ukrainian studio GSC Game World. In an interview with the pro-government publication Daily Storm, Gorelkin stated:

If the game contains illegal content such as extremism, justification of terrorism, or incitement of ethnic hatred, the strictest measures will be taken.

The vague threat extends to those “involved in the dissemination” of the game. While the specific targets remain unclear, this could include distributors, retailers, or even players.

Further complicating the matter, Russian lawyer Mikhail Mushailev warned that Russia’s current political climate makes it easy to accuse players of treason for supporting a studio like GSC Game World, which openly opposes Russian aggression and supports the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The penalty, he suggested, could involve severe prison sentences.

Response of Russian Game Pirates

Russian game repackers, who distribute pirated versions of video games, have perceived these warnings seriously. Some groups have already announced they will not be releasing pirated versions of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. For instance, the popular repacker byXatab confirmed in their Vkontakte community that fans should not expect a release from them.

Global Excitement Builds

Meanwhile, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will launch worldwide on November 20, 2024, for PC and Xbox consoles, including Series S and X, and will be available on Game Pass.

In preparation for the launch, GSC Game World shared updated system requirements via the game’s official account on X (formerly Twitter). The game will require 160GB of storage and at least 16GB of dual-channel RAM. Full system requirements were outlined in an infographic shared by the developers.

A Long-Awaited Launch

The release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has been postponed several times, but fans worldwide finally got an exact release date. While the game won’t feature Russian voice overs, Russian subtitles will be available. However, the game will not be distributed officially within Russia.

This geopolitical drama hasn’t dampened the global anticipation for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, as players eagerly await its arrival on November 20.