S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: The Search for More Money

Confusion over the financial status of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. developer GSC Game World and whether S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 would ever see the light of day continues, but there’s reason to be hopeful.

The development team recently confirmed work on the game revved up again after the holidays.

“The Stalker team is extremely happy!” said the company on its Facebook page. “Why? Because we are continuing work on Stalker 2 after the holidays."

Desire only means so much without money, however, and a spokesperson for the studio told Edge Online that GSC Game World is currently in the midst of figuring that very important part out.

"We are still in the process of seeking funding to back up the project," said the spokesperson. "We are hopeful things turn out well eventually. The team really wants to see STALKER continue."

Cool

Haven't played the original either. My conscience is clean.

I wonder who will take a chance on them. I'm sure the games have a lot of fans, but this just looks like it will lose money.

Couldn't they do a Minecraft model? Or at least let some dedicated fans buy upfront?

They need to start something like Minecraft or some of the other games out there people "beta" while it is being created. I think it would work and would be able to give them the revenue they need.

I love spaceballs

@SuperSambo said:

Couldn't they do a Minecraft model? Or at least let some dedicated fans buy upfront?

Kinda risky letting people buy a game that is nowhere certain it will see the light of day.

Please someone give these men a big bunch of money. Stalker SoC and Stalker Cop were AWESOME!

Didn't the stalker series sell something like 10 million copies?

What the hell did they do with all that money?

Get out of here.

lol, Spaceballs

@Claude said:

Get out of here.

Get out of here stalker. Get out of here stalker. Get out of here stalker. Get out of here stalker. Get out of here stalker. Get out of here stalker. Get out of here stalker. Get out of here stalker. Get out of here stalker. Get out of here stalker. Get out of here stalker.

I seriously hope they pull through. I don't usually survival horror-ish games but I absolutely adore Stalker games. I'm still chipping away at Call of Pripyat.

@easthill said:

@SuperSambo said:

Couldn't they do a Minecraft model? Or at least let some dedicated fans buy upfront?

Kinda risky letting people buy a game that is nowhere certain it will see the light of day.

True, but Crate, composed of a bunch of dudes formerly from Iron Lore (Titan Quest) are kind of doing it with their new game, Grim Dawn, and I totally ponied up for the Legendary Fan Edition of the game, which should give me early access to the alpha and beta test versions of the game.

I've paid for enough shitty $60 games at launch that I was fine paying ahead of time for a game from a trusted developer that I know I'm going to love if/when it hits. And if it doesn't for some reason, I'm not going to lose too much sleep over it.

Imagine if players commissioned games. Your last game was awesome? Great. I'm down for $50 for a game you won't finish for a year or two. Cater directly to the gamer. We are your boss. Period. Make a shitty last game? Good luck getting us to invest in your next game ahead of time.

STALKER 2? Yep. I'd be down for $60 up-front.

i said come in don't stand there

@Branthog: When the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. first came out, it was a great game, but compared to games today, not so impressive. #Noob

@Oddoboy: Nope. Definitely nope nope nope. STALKER achieved levels of atmosphere, immersion, and occasionally challenge that few shooters today chase. I still have yet to play a modern shooter with such a sense of place. People didn't love STALKER because it was a fantastic shooter (it was simply okay, mods were its saving grace); people loved it for the lengths it went to pull you in. It leaves a real impression.

I've got an entire set of friends who are 24/7 console CoD and Battlefield players, a few of whom experienced STALKER at my recommendation and were effected by it enough to consistently quote its funny lines and set up an entire airsoft game mode based on and named after it.

Tell him to comb the desert! Did you hear me? COMB THE DESERT!

i always wanted to like STALKER. i just couldn't get into it. lets hope they can finish 2 maybe by then i'll give it another shot. 

@Meltbrain said:

Someone needs to do those guys a solid. I really want to see what they do with STALKER 2.

Bonus points for using the term solid.

@bustew said:

Haven't played the original either. My conscience is clean.

I played like 10 minutes of the original, and as soon as I realized that it had a durability system for guns AND a limited weight/space (aka block) inventory, I stopped playing because I didn't want to deal with it. In recent years however I have thought I would revisit the game and enable cheats to hopeful fore go such headaches.

howdy ho

May the Schwartz be with you!

I don't have anything against the player investment model. Maybe more interesting games would see the light of day and avoid being beholden to what some fat cats deem would be successful.

@Oddoboy said:

@Branthog: When the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. first came out, it was a great game, but compared to games today, not so impressive. #Noob

I have no worries about the potential of a new STALKER when you consider the original was five years ago and they've done an amazing job with Witcher 2.

Never was a fan of the original because it was so unpolished. I hope this game steps up the polish to make a great title. Looking forward to it with some anticipation.

@Branthog said:

@Oddoboy said:

@Branthog: When the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. first came out, it was a great game, but compared to games today, not so impressive. #Noob

I have no worries about the potential of a new STALKER when you consider the original was five years ago and they've done an amazing job with Witcher 2.

what? GSC = Ukraine, CDprojekt RED = Poland

@G0rd0nFr33m4n: It's the style of game. I think if you don't like "realism" like that, I wouldn't bother with it, because that was kind of the whole charm. It's definitely not for everybody. I have to be in a very specific mood to enjoy it.

I'm actually playing STALKER 1 right now for the first time. With the complete mod, it's an awesome game. I really hope STALKER 2 gets made.

Dude wow! This is good news, for now. 
 
@Claude said:

Get out of here.

Wait until they announce that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is actually a turn-based strategy game from an overhead perspective.

@Branthog: When the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. first came out, it was a great game, but compared to games today, not so impressive. #Noob

@Branthog said:

Imagine if players commissioned games. Your last game was awesome? Great. I'm down for $50 for a game you won't finish for a year or two. Cater directly to the gamer. We are your boss. Period. Make a shitty last game? Good luck getting us to invest in your next game ahead of time.

STALKER 2? Yep. I'd be down for $60 up-front.

I would easily put down $100. I love the STALKER series.

some would say metro2033. aka babys first stalker

@Animasta said:

@Branthog said:

@Oddoboy said:

@Branthog: When the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. first came out, it was a great game, but compared to games today, not so impressive. #Noob

I have no worries about the potential of a new STALKER when you consider the original was five years ago and they've done an amazing job with Witcher 2.

what? GSC = Ukraine, CDprojekt RED = Poland

Wait, really? I always thought they were two divisions of the same entity. I don't know why I thought that . . . ?

When Stalker came out with its DX 9 graphics (DX10 features were added later), the (Gamespot) reviewers called it outdated. When Skyrim came out 4 years later with the SAME DirectX 9-ass, DX9 graphics reviewers said it looks amazing, despite being a console port.

They are really similar in graphics, open world shenanigans, atmosphere, the open fire places, the pixely shadows and grimey textures, lots of nature and rural life... even the rag doll mechanics are exactly the same.

Other than on the fly texture streaming (a.k.a. annoying texture pop-in), nothing changed. Texture streaming never really has properly worked in DX9, though it allowed for bigger areas.

@Eurobum said:

When Stalker came out with it's DX 9 graphics (DX10 features were added later), the (Gamespot) reviewers called it outdated. When Skyrim came out 4 years later with the SAME DirectX 9-ass, DX9 Graphics reviewers said it looks amazing, despite being a console port.

They are really similar in graphics, open world shenanigans, atmosphere, the open fire places, the pixely shadows and grimey textures, lots of nature and rural life... even the rag doll mechanics are exactly the same.

Other than on the fly texture streaming (a.k.a. annoying texture pop-in), nothing changed. Texture streaming never really has properly worked in DX9, though it allowed for bigger areas.

Trust me, They are not the same in any kind of way. One runs on the gamebryo engine, the other does not. That in itself is a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE difference.

Kickstarter. Do it!

I love the stalker games. I hope they find someone to fund this and that it then turns out great.

@Deusoma said:

Wait until they announce that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is actually a turn-based strategy game from an overhead perspective.

Hmmm... that somehow sounds interesting. Then again, any new perspective on an old and good game sounds interesting.

Love LOVE these games, one of the few series which I have fully completed, hope this comes out!

@Animasta said:

@Branthog said:

@Oddoboy said:

@Branthog: When the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. first came out, it was a great game, but compared to games today, not so impressive. #Noob

I have no worries about the potential of a new STALKER when you consider the original was five years ago and they've done an amazing job with Witcher 2.

what? GSC = Ukraine, CDprojekt RED = Poland

Wait, really? I always thought they were two divisions of the same entity. I don't know why I thought that . . . ?

Probably because Central and Eastern Europe equals to one country to everyone not from Central or Eastern Europe.

Especially ironic when you consider that one of the GSC devs went on record saying that they don't want to outsource the project to anyone from Poland, because we'll just turn it to shit.

Yo, Call of Pripyat was dope!

I played around 2 hours of Shadow of Chernobyl with the complete mod installed... and was kind of overwhelmed. I mean to go back someday and give it another honest try. That day is not today however.

Didn't the stalker series sell something like 10 million copies?

What the hell did they do with all that money?

For people who have only played a couple hours of SoC, play more. The first bit is a little dry but once you get gear that isn't complete garbage the game becomes ridiculously fun. Also, the mods to update the graphics are a must, it makes the game look really good.

One thing I really like about CoP (and the other games to a lesser extent), is that at night it actually gets dark. In games like Skyrim it gets dark but you can still see everything. In CoP it is actually pitch black and without a flashlight you'll be dead before you can get to safety if you are in the swamps or in a dangerous area (where all the zombie dudes are in the west, etc.).

Stalker's one of my favourite franchises, so I seriously hope things pan out well for them. The concepts look so damn good.

I actually clicked on this expecting the "catch" to be that development focus has shifted to consoles as the lead platforms.