In a nutshell
- Massive Deal: Xbox covered more than STALKER 2’s dev cost
- Early Success: 3M+ copies sold in first 5 months
- Exclusive Window: One‑year Xbox exclusivity before PS5 release
STALKER 2 has been the subject of a challenging development cycle due to many factors, resulting in several delays over the years. Even then, the game was highly anticipated and launched to a great reception, even receiving a PS5 port late last year due to the timed exclusivity deal Xbox made with the developers.
Recently, it’s been revealed just how high the cost of exclusivity was, and although no specific value was mentioned, it was indeed a big deal.
Xbox’s Big Investment in STALKER 2
In a new interview with YouTuber OLDBoi, GSC Game World founder Sergiy Grygorovych revealed that Xbox paid more than the full development cost of STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl to secure its timed exclusivity.
“We took more than the cost of STALKER 2. It paid for itself before the first day,” Grygorovych said, noting that the deal was financially worth it for the studio.
Why Xbox Jumped In
According to Grygorovych, Xbox was impressed by the game’s trailer performance online, which quickly led to negotiations. Within a week, documents were signed, locking in the exclusivity deal. Microsoft’s financial strength and desire to compete with Sony played a key role in the agreement.
“They brought in all the documents for signing in about a week.”
