It was revealed today that ‘multiple’ STALKER 2 dev builds were leaked online and subsequently shared around, but owing to intense encryption on the files, they’re effectively unplayable. In an incident that’s being dubbed a mistake by GSC Game World’s IT department, files up to 193 GB in size were leaked to the public.
It’s worth stressing at present that the claims of this being an internal slip-up are based on comments made online and aren’t as of yet confirmed. However, with log files, builds, seeders, and network data being readily available, all signs do point to this being a mistake made from the inside.
A Tough Year
Earlier in March, GSC Game World came under threat from Russian hackers that were attempting to blackmail the firm. There were claims that these hackers could release ’30 GB of STALKER 2 data’ if GSC Game World didn’t ‘rethink its attitude towards players from Belarus and Russia.’
However, that date came and went, GSC didn’t give in to the demands, and nothing happened – until now. It’s not believed that this leak is the work of those hackers, but it’s definitely something that’s being floated as a coincidence – at least until confirmation is received.
Furthermore, in February 2023, it was revealed that GSC would be boosting the price of the ‘Ultimate Edition’ of STALKER 2 amidst an uneasy financial climate – which was a decision expectedly met with some dissent.
It may all be moot, though – for now, it looks as though the leaked STALKER 2 dev builds are inaccessible, owing to the fact that they’re encrypted as standard and rendered unplayable.
STALKER 2 is expected to release in December 2023, launching on PC and Xbox Series X|S and being made available on day one on Xbox Game Pass.
—
For more Insider Gaming news, check out our coverage of Rachet & Clink: A Rift Apart’s impending release on PC.
