GSC Reopens - & other Stalker projects

Renault on 22/12/2014 at 23:18

So, this announcement kind of came in under the radar:

(http://www.gamespot.com/articles/stalker-shadow-of-chernobyl-dev-reopens-announces-/1100-6424350/) Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl Dev Reopens, Announces New Game

Sounds awesome, even though there's not much to go on yet.

Then there's the ongoing bizarre story behind West Games, a bunch of folks who claimed they were ex-Stalker devs and were createing a new game. First, they tried to kickstart Areal, a Stalker-like game which was suspended by KS for some iffy claims and promises and funding practices:

(http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/07/23/areal-kickstarter-suspended-stalker-spirital-successor/) Areal Kickstarter Suspended

Now they're crowd funding a new project, which seems to be treading a pretty thin line on copyright infringement:

(https://wfunder.com/project/185#basics) Stalker Apocalypse

Meanwhile, those other guys are still working on (http://survarium.com/en) Survivarium:

Wow - which Stalker game will we see first?

Starker on 22/12/2014 at 23:51

Oh, so this was the big announcement GSC was teasing with.

As for Areal/Stalker Apocalypse, it was a scam and it remains a scam -- anyone can see that their "crowdfunding site" is a joke if they just take 5 minutes to look around on it.

And they are not as much treading a pretty thin line as much as they are snorting it up. I want to know how high you must be for this logo to start seeming legally distinct from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The registered trademark symbol ® in the upper right corner is almost too cute.

Inline Image:

https://worldwidefunder.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wwf-project%2F00%2F00%2F00%2F03%2F25%2F548993a950d98%2Fstalker2log%D0%93%CC%8117.png

Renault on 23/12/2014 at 00:47

Apparently this new crowd funding site (World Wide Funder) allows solicitors to keep all of their funds pledged, even if a goal is not reached. There are also rumors to the effect that both West Games and "World Wide Funder" are operated by some of the same people. You'd have to be pretty daft to send any kind of money their way, unless you just don't mind throwing it all out the window.

Dia on 24/12/2014 at 13:32

I'd heard (from a fellow Stalker on FB) that the 'new' game GSC is developing is just another Cossacks game. Seems the legal rights to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. are still in contention to the point where it's highly unlikely we'll be seeing another Stalker game any time soon.

Damn.

TannisRoot on 25/12/2014 at 23:01

Quote Posted by Dia

Seems the legal rights to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. are still in contention to the point where it's highly unlikely we'll be seeing another Stalker game any time soon.

Damn.

Gah, what disappointing news. The Stalker games were very unique and to this day stand among my favorite game playing experiences warts and all. I'd still very much like to see what a new generation of these games would do!