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

The survival horror shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 proved so immensely popular in Ukraine that its launch caused a significant nationwide internet slowdown. Discover the details of the launch and the developers' reactions.

Ukraine's Internet Overwhelmed by S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2

A Nation Enters The Zone

The sheer popularity of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 on its November 20th launch day led to a widespread internet disruption across Ukraine. Internet providers Tenet and Triolan reported on Telegram that while daytime internet speeds were normal, evening speeds plummeted dramatically. This was directly attributed to the massive number of simultaneous downloads by Ukrainian gamers. As reported by ITC, Triolan stated the slowdown was due to "increased load on the channels due to the massive interest in the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R."

Even after downloading the game, many players experienced slow login times and difficulties accessing the game. The internet disruption lasted for several hours before resolving.

GSC Game World, the developers, expressed both pride and surprise at the 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 added, "For us and our team, what's most important is that for some people in Ukraine, they feel a little bit happier than they were before the release. We did something for our home country, something good for them."

The game's phenomenal success is undeniable: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 sold an impressive 1 million copies within just two days of its release. Despite known performance issues and bugs, sales were exceptionally strong globally, particularly in its native Ukraine.

GSC Game World, a Ukrainian studio with offices in Kyiv and Prague, faced challenges in releasing the game due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which caused multiple launch delays. However, they persevered, releasing the game in November. The studio remains dedicated to addressing bugs and optimizing the game, recently releasing its third major patch.