MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
The Ukrainian studio behind cult PC shooter STALKER has re-opened. The developer hit hard times in 2010 and was eventually closed completely the following year. It now emerges that the company was half way through the development of STALKER 2 when business was halted, Valentine Yeltyshev has told Games Industry. …
Read More »West Games tries to get STALKER successor development back up and running
The group behind failed STALKER successor Areal has launched a crowdfunding campaign for a very similar looking game entitled STALKER Apocalypse. West Games is this time using a funding platform called World Wide Funder, which was only recently established. It also allows developers to keep whatever cash has been pledged …
Read More »Areal Kickstarter suspended, is now hunting for PayPal contributions
Crowdfunding platform Kickstarter has suspended funding for the controversial STALKER successor Areal. Things appeared to be going wrong for developer West Games earlier this week when a string of bizarre events and unusual pledges mysteriously propelled it towards its funding goal. Our Kickstarter was suspended without any warning,” the studio …
Read More »Areal Kickstarter hits target amidst accusations and alleged Vladimir Putin support
The controversial ‘spiritual successor’ to STALKER has hit its $50k Kickstarter goal. Having seemingly stalled, Eurogamer reports that a limited number of high value pledges have helped the game reach its target, including $12k worth of funding from two backers on Saturday July 19th and a $14k increase the following …
Read More »STALKER successor dev denies fraud claim as Areal creeps toward funding goal
West Games has denied claims of fraud regarding its game Areal, which it describes as ‘definitive spiritual successor to STALKER’. Vostock Games, which emerged from the ashes of original stalker dev GSC, had accused West Games of fraudulent claims” regarding the legitimacy of its dev team and rights to liken …
Read More »‘Definitive spiritual successor’ to STALKER descends into legal threats
A new game called Areal, which is being dubbed as ‘the definitive spiritual successor to the cult hit STALKER series’ has sparked a potential legal tussle. Areal is a new video game that’s being developed by the people behind STALKER,” the Kickstarter from new studio West Games states. It features …
Read More »GSC refutes BitComposer’s STALKER rights claims
BitCompser has not acquired the video game rights to the STALKER series, the game’s developer GSC has insisted. MCV reported earlier this week that the German firm, which published the third STALKER game, had moved to capture the rights. When the claim was contested, BitComposer insisted that it had captured …
Read More »UPDATED: BitComposer acquires STALKER licence… maybe
The STALKER IP has a new home. BitComposer, which published the third title in the STALKER series Call of Pripyet, has acquired the licence from its developer GSC Game World. The deal gives BitComposer exclusive worldwide rights to all video games carrying the STALKER name. The acquisition of the STALKER …
Read More »Hopes remain for Stalker 2
Ukraine studio GSC Game World is fighting on after alleged financial troubles and widespread reports that the studio had almost certainly closed. The firm is seeking immediate cash to drive its current project to competition. "We are still in the process of seeking funding to back up the project," GSC …
Read More »Future of Stalker developer ‘uncertain’
Stalker developer GSC Game World is on the brink of closing its doors after saying that ‘nothing is certain’ about its future. The Ukraine-based studio responded to earlier reports about its closure via Twitter stating that it was in fact still in business, but unsure for how long. We will …
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