The immense popularity of the survival horror shooter, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, in Ukraine caused a significant nationwide internet slowdown. The game's November 20th launch resulted in a surge of simultaneous downloads, overwhelming Ukrainian internet providers Tenet and Triolan. Both providers reported significantly reduced internet speeds in the evening, directly attributed to the massive influx of players downloading the game. Triolan's official Telegram statement cited "increased load on the channels" as the reason for the slowdown.
Even after downloading, players experienced difficulties logging in and slow loading times. This widespread internet disruption lasted for several hours before resolving. GSC Game World, the Ukrainian developer, expressed both pride and surprise at this unprecedented event. Creative director Mariia Grygorovych commented on the situation, stating that while the internet disruption was undeniably problematic, the overwhelming popularity brought a sense of joy and accomplishment to the team, noting that they had "done something good for [their] home country."
The game's success is undeniable. Within just two days of launch, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 achieved sales of 1 million copies worldwide, despite reported performance issues and bugs. This remarkable achievement is particularly significant given the challenging circumstances faced by GSC Game World, a Ukrainian studio operating from offices in Kyiv and Prague amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The launch, delayed multiple times, finally arrived in November, and the studio remains dedicated to addressing the game's technical issues through ongoing patch releases, with a third major patch recently deployed.
