23 March 2007

The release of the most wanted ex-USSR game finally crowns the six years of development.

Throughout this long period hundreds of thousands, if not millions of players from around the globe became the game fans, fell in love and got disappointed, awaited and believed, quit and returned to browse through gigabytes of screenshots and hours of video trailers in excitement. A lot changed throughout this time - both in the project and in the life of gamers who awaited it and to whom the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. word meant something bigger than just another shooter.

The recognizable dear architecture of the Soviet empire days, wild beauty of dead cities and scary nature - the world enrols new heroes into the ranks of stalkers. And this means a new stage in the lives of all who finally received the awaited now commenced.

Today, on March 23, 2007, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is officially released in Europe and ex-USSR.

We congratulate everyone on this remarkable event and are thankful to all who awaited, believed and supported us!

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

April 12, 2006, 02:33 p.m.

Chernobyl zone was lit by an intolerably bright light. The clouds were evaporating in the silver bright sky with a thunder and earthquake to follow. People fell on the ground facedown closing their bleeding eyes and ears. The glow spread over an immense territory which was subsequently called the Zone. People ran away saving their lives.

It looked like a radioactive explosion at the nuclear plant occurred. The army sealed off the Zone... The explosion epicenter was a kilometre away from the nuclear plant. Obviously, some tests had been held there and they caused the disaster.

Presumably, the entire personnel died within seconds, but still there was a probability of survivals among the staff. It appeared impossible to arrange a rescue operation, as the Zone was characterized by strange energy disturbances posing mortal danger to the explorers. Attempts to use robots were unavailing. Several months after the accident the crisis situation peaked when the Zone abruptly grew five kilometres bigger.

People from nearby towns and villages were urgently evacuated, and the peril of a difficult-to-imagine scope loomed over the world.

Year 2008

The Zone exploded, radioactive clouds covered vast territories. A dreadful amount of people, animals and forests perished. Thirty kilometres of the area got cordoned off by the army, scientists failed to explain what had happened.

The Zone grew, various death-bearing anomalies were spotted inside. Some invisible force tore living beings apart, inflicted awful blood-sputtering wounds. Expeditions faced mutant animals, unlikely to have appeared in the Zone through natural course of evolution. The catastrophe, mutants, anomalies, contamination? Everything appeared to be a consequence of some eerie phenomenon?

Year 2010

First expeditions can enter the Zone several kilometers deep without mortal danger. Amateur researchers, marauders and poachers, called stalkers, show up. They move around the Zone searching for various anomalous formations, i.e. artifacts, they would sell to various organizations.

The Zone

After Chernobyl was evacuated, the area around it was silent - untouched by man and reclaimed by nature. Trees grew up amongst the concrete edifices of Pripyat and wildlife found new homes in the devastation.

With no reason to enter the area, mankind left it alone - a nagging prick to the conscience that refused to go away.

However stories originated. Reports of strange creatures, twisted by the consequences of the accident became commonplace. Some even spoke of abandoned treasures within what came to be called "The Zone".

In 2006 disaster seemed to strike again. A bright light originated from the old reactor plant and people speculated that a second explosion had occurred. Military patrols increased as the authorities seemed more determined than ever to keep people out. However human nature prevailed. Curiosity and greed led to the phenomenon of the "Stalker" - part explorer, part mercenary, part treasure hunter. These brave and foolish individuals started entering the Zone to see what could be salvaged. What they found was beyond imagination.

Stalkers bought out wonders and horrors. Strange irradiated objects called "artefacts" fetched huge sums on a thriving black market - somebody somewhere obviously thought that these artefacts have some value. However the risks involved in retrieving these were huge - mutant creatures roamed the landscape, ready to feed on anything they encountered. And horrific pockets of energy known as "Anomalies" claimed the lives of many unwary Stalkers.

It is now 2012. The Zone is full of wonder and death. Stalkers, mutants and the military roam the deadly landscape of the Zone. It is into this world that you will take the first faltering steps toward becoming a Stalker.