Ukrainian video game developer GSC Game World was able to raise $800,000 for Ukraine amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war through a special charity sale of their collection of games, the company announced over social media on Friday.
The funds are all set to be donated to the Come Back Alive charity after taxes and store commissions.
The charity sale of GSC Game World games is over.Together with you, we’ve managed to raise more than $800,000. Thank you! After taxes and store commissions, all funds will be donated to the «Come Back Alive» Charitable Foundation. We will remember that. Always. pic.twitter.com/EbzbZGMmHK
— S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) April 15, 2022
GSC Game World is a historic game developer in eastern European gaming, having been among the first to localize video games into the Russian language.
They are most known for behind the developers behind the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise, a series of games revolving around a mysterious and isolated Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in an alternate universe, a franchise based on the highly influential Soviet science fiction film Stalker and which has become one of the most iconic video games to come out of eastern Europe.
The long-awaited continuation to the franchise, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (formerly titled Heart of Chernobyl before being changed to match the Ukrainian spelling), was set to come out in 2022 but has been put on hold indefinitely due to the Russian invasion as the Kyiv-based developers needed to ensure their own safety.
In early March, GSC Game World also barred all their titles on the popular online video game platform Steam from purchase in Russia.
Another Ukrainian video game developer, A4 Games, has also worked to help raise funds for their country amid the ongoing Russian invasion.
Based in Kyiv, A4 Games is famous for being behind the Metro series, based on the popular post-apocalyptic science fiction series written by Russian-Israeli author Dmitry Glukhovsky during his time studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who himself has also been vocal in condemning Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.