The offices of Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyll developer GSC Game World were reportedly damaged in an accidental fire on Thursday. There was no human loss or injury, but repairs may cost up to $70,000.

　　Czech outlet Vortex (via VGC) originally reported the story, which was picked up by Twitter/X user HazzadorGamin. The fire affected one of the office's three floors and was near backup servers for the game. However, it is unclear whether any development assets have been affected. A developer confirmed the incident on Discord: "It is true. Fortunately, none of the employees or office staff were injured in the accident.” They also claimed that the fire will not affect Stalker 2's Q1 2024 release date. They said, “No anomaly, not even a ‘Burner’ will make us stop in our pursuit of our final goal. We’ve dealt with worse than that before. This is fine.”

　　Originally based in Ukraine, some of the developer's staff have relocated to the Czech Republic, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues. An Xbox showcase in June 2022 featured interviews with GSC Game World developers about the effects of the war on their lives. The developer has also come under Russian cyberattack more than once. A demo of Stalker 2 was playable at Gamescom 2023.

　　Grace Benfell on Google+