Stalker 2: Conspiracy Theory Involving Russia and Ukraine Is So Wild You’ll Think Twice Before Buying the Game
Stalker 2 is one of the most-awaited games of this year, but soon after its release, players heard a rumor that is enough to reduce the sale.
- Stalker 2 is the current victim of Russian disinformation campaigns.
- The game has received substantial success within a week of its release, but this rumor is frightening players about the game.
- Well, the developer team hasn't yet stated anything to clear the confusion regarding the game.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl was one of the super-hyped games of this year. It has only been a week since players got their hands on the game, and already it is receiving favorable reviews from fans and critics. However, a controversy has raised its head surrounding this game that might force players to think twice before purchasing the title.
A new theory suddenly got the Stalker 2 community by storm, where there’s a scent of conspiracy involved. If it is true, players need to be careful with this game, but fortunately, there is no evidence of the rumor being even slightly based on fact.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Has Become the Victim of Russian Disinformation Campaign
Controversies around newly released games are nothing new. Over the decades, loads of games have faced this issue and successfully overcome them. It looks like it is time for GSC Game World to fight the false accusations. However, the accusations against the team are pretty vital.
Russian disinformation campaigns are nothing new. Popular games have often faced this, and this time, it has targeted the latest survival-horror FPS game developed in Ukraine in this war-torn situation.
The title of Stalker 2 clearly tells where the game is set. The team clearly states through the title that this shooter is set in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. That’s where the problem begins. Recently, a fake video with the WIRED magazine watermark has been pushed forward on social platforms like Telegram, and it was even sent to journalists.
In that video, the maker claimed that GSC Game World has a tie with the Ukraine government, and with this game, the developer company is trying to locate “citizens suitable for mobilization,” and along with that, it claimed, a code was found in the game, which is collecting players’ data and supplying it to the developer’s server.
Reportedly, this code collects “data about the device, name, IP address, and current location of the player. The information is transmitted every second.”
However, all these claims are false, and there’s no such program hidden in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Until now, the developers have refused any statement to clarify things.
Why the Russian Disinformation Campaign Targeted Stalker 2?
It is pretty easily understandable why Stalker 2 becomes a target of defamation. For the last year, Ukraine has been trying its best to stop the Russian invasion. There was non-stop bombing, and thousands of civilians died in this process. Even the developers of this latest survival horror FPS game were scattered here and there throughout Europe.
GSC Game World has been a supporter of Ukraine throughout, and it has openly disclosed its stand. Therefore, it has done a lot to support Ukraine’s war efforts. It has raised money to help soldiers with necessary equipment and war items. Even restricted its titles in Russia.
A price must be paid when you stand against a powerful party. Therefore, the disinformation campaign is completely expected. Despite the GSC Game World team mentioning the game is not a “propaganda thing,” controversies are still surrounding it from every side.
Should You Stop Purchasing Stalker 2?
If one goes through the fake videos that are going viral with the WIRED watermark, it is natural that they will be scared. Whether these claims are true or not, players are obviously concerned about their data getting stored on other servers. Therefore, this rumor has created a wave of anxiety among fans.
Don’t worry if you have been playing the game or have plans to spend on it. The game won’t leak your information. Despite the developer team saying nothing specifically about this rumor, this same source that posted this fake video pushed other fake news previously that were intended to hamper the reputation of renowned news channels like 404 Media, a French press agency, and AFP.
According to a report by 404 Media, the intention behind this fake news is to
“flood Telegram, social media, and journalists’ inboxes with false stories that usually paint NATO countries and Ukraine in a bad light.”
Again, this Stalker 2 rumor is giving the same vibe. Therefore, it is better not to trust these fake things and ban a game that is getting loads of praise from the very beginning.
