The name of “Stalker 2” has been altered to match the Ukrainian spelling of Chornobyl rather than the Russian version of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Stalker: Heart of Chernobyl had changed its name on Steam to “Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl” on March 14, according to ResetEra users. If you didn’t know, “Chernobyl” is the Romanization of the Russian spelling of the power plant, whereas “Chornobyl” is the Romanization of the Ukrainian word.
At first glance, this appears to be a change brought on by Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. GSC Game World, the developer of “Stalker 2”, has yet to make an announcement, although it should be noted that the Ukrainian-based firm said earlier this month that work on “Stalker 2” was technically on hold, but that it would “certainly continue.”
While the crisis is still going on, with Russian forces shelling and firing missiles at cities all throughout Ukraine, it’s uncertain how or when game creators like GSC Game World will be able to return to work. However, as the developer stated earlier this month, the priority now is to “strive to help our staff and their families survive.”