GSC Game World Denies Founder's Claims on Microsoft Deal

GSC Game World has officially refuted claims made by its founder, Sergiy Grygorovych, regarding the financial terms of a timed-exclusivity deal with Microsoft for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. In a recent interview, Grygorovych asserted that Microsoft paid a sum exceeding the total development cost to secure the title for Xbox, claiming the project paid for itself before its first day of release.

Grygorovych alleged that Microsoft executives moved quickly to finalize the deal within a week after seeing the high view counts of the game's debut trailer. However, the studio issued statements to IGN and Insider Gaming contradicting these assertions, stating that his comments are not an accurate reflection of the actual state of affairs.

To clarify the project's funding, GSC Game World noted that studio owner Max Krippa funded the majority of the development budget. The company further distanced itself from Grygorovych's claims by stating he was not involved in partner negotiations or the full production cycle of the game. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 launched on Xbox in late 2024 and arrived on PlayStation 5 in November 2025 following the conclusion of the one-year exclusivity period.