Stalker 2 Developer Refutes Claims by Studio Founder that Xbox Paid More than Game's Development Cost to Make It Exclusive
GSC Game World says Sergiy Grygorovych was not involved in the Xbox negotiations and that owner Max Krippa funded most of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.
- GSC Game World challenged founder Sergiy Grygorovych's recent claims about Stalker funding, stating his comments regarding Xbox teams "cannot be considered an accurate reflection of the actual state of affairs."
- In an interview with YouTuber OLDboi, Grygorovych previously claimed Microsoft's Xbox exclusivity payments covered Stalker's entire development cost, asserting the game "paid for itself before the first day."
- GSC Game World stated that studio owner Max Krippa funded the majority of the development budget, contradicting claims Microsoft payments covered all costs; Stalker has surpassed 6 million players.
- This dispute surfaces amid Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's "significant" restructure of Microsoft's gaming business, which is pivoting away from day-one Xbox Game Pass launches for major franchises.
- Former Playground creative director Mike Brown noted Xbox Game Pass failed to attract enough subscribers to justify Microsoft's massive spending, including the $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Xbox's Exclusivity Deal for STALKER 2 Cost More Than It Took to Make the Game
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is almost two years old at this point, and more information has come out about the deal developer GSC Game World struck up with Microsoft to make it a timed Xbox console exclusive. Xbox shelled out more than Stalker 2’s dev cost to make it a timed exclusive Although Xbox […] The post Xbox’s Exclusivity Deal for STALKER 2 Cost More Than It Took to Make the Game appeared first on VICE.
Stalker 2 developer refutes claims by studio founder that Xbox paid more than game's development cost to make it exclusive
Earlier this week, GSC Game World studio founder Sergiy Grygorovych made a bombshell revelation about the development of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Grygorovych said in an interview with YouTuber OLDboi that Microsoft paid a significant sum to keep the then-upcoming open-world shooter a timed Xbox exclusive.
The development of STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl was marked by numerous challenges, from delays to difficulties resulting from the war in Ukraine. However, despite all these complications, the expected GSC Game World shooter was already a financial success even before reaching the stores. Sergiy Grygorovych, founder of the study, revealed this in an interview given to the content creator OLDBoi, where he spoke openly about the temporary exclusiv…
Stalker 2 dev admits X ox paid for 1 year exclusivity by covering...
https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/07/stalker-2-dev-refutes-claims-about-xboxs-funding-for-timed-exclusivity Xbox actually paid more then the game cost to make. Was already profitable before it shipped. This is one of those situations where an exclusive makes a game look better then it actually is. As a PS5 gamer it bothered me that this seemingly cool looking AAA fps was not on PS5 and I wanted it badly. Bought it the day it launched on P…
Stalker 2 studio founder's claims that Xbox paid more for exclusivity than the game cost to make "do not reflect the actual facts", according to GSC Game World
Stalker 2 studio GSC Game World have refuted claims from their original founder Sergiy Grygorovych, who left GSC in 2023, that Xbox paid more than the game cost to make as part of an exclusivity deal for it.
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