Serhiy, a soldier in the 112th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces, was one of the creators of a video showing Ukrainian soldiers playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 right in Prypiat. For Serhiy, the real Zone is also his place of duty, where he carries out important missions every day.
Maksym Krippa, the owner of GSC Game World, also reacted to the video. He noted that for millions of people, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. has opened up the world of the Chornobyl Zone far beyond Ukraine’s borders, while for the soldiers of the 112th Brigade, it is a place of duty where they carry out combat missions and defend their country. According to him, the video brings together two worlds—one created by developers and the one in which Ukrainian defenders live today. He also thanked the soldiers for enabling the Ukrainian creative industry to continue its work and wished all defenders a safe return home so they could “play this game” only online.
GameDev DOU spoke with the servicemember about what inspired the soldiers to create this video, the dangers of the real Zone, as well as life in Chornobyl and Prypiat, and more.
How Soldiers from the 112th Brigade Played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 in the Real-Life City of Prypiat
The idea for the video came about because Serhiy’s unit is stationed in the Chornobyl zone. One of the soldiers was in contact with Maksym Krippa’s MK Foundation, which donated a vehicle to the military. That’s when the idea arose to play on the similarities between the game’s Zone and the real one: first, show the soldiers playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, and then abruptly transport them to the same location—but this time to the real Prypiat.
There was almost no time to prepare—the vehicle was set to depart for combat missions shortly. So the soldiers quickly organized the trip, obtained the necessary permits, and assembled a film crew.
Before that, the soldiers still had to reach the desired location within the game itself. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was installed on one of the unit’s computers, which is usually used for working with complex software related to combat missions. The game had been installed shortly after its release, as serving in the Chornobyl zone made it particularly interesting to the soldiers. However, they didn’t get very far in it.
So, before filming, Serhiy set a specific goal for the soldiers who were free from other duties—to reach “Energetik.” Two soldiers took turns playing until they reached the desired location.
After that, a desktop computer with a large monitor was loaded into the van and driven to Prypiat. Due to delays at the entrance, the team arrived about 15 minutes before sunset. During that time, they had to set up the equipment, change clothes, and shoot the planned footage. As a result, they managed to capture all the footage in just three takes.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. in Real Life
In the footage, the soldiers used authentic gear: a combat pistol, assault rifles with magazines attached, and grenades. Even the details were chosen specifically to match the game’s atmosphere—they bought “Non-Stop” along the way, and the car provided to the unit bore the inscription “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.”
Serhiy himself was introduced to the series as an adult, and he started playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 precisely because of his service in the Chornobyl zone. His unit includes many IT specialists and avid gamers, and games today have practical applications as well: in particular, they’re used to train drone operators. According to the soldier, the skills a person hones in a virtual environment can now be partially transferred to real life.
At the same time, while the game accurately—albeit only partially—captures the real Zone, Serhiy recognizes individual buildings in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, such as the “Energetik” Cultural Center and “Duga,” as well as old equipment and the overall atmosphere of abandoned settlements. However, the real Zone is much more alive: here you can encounter horses, moose, wolves, and deer, and the city of Chornobyl still has its own infrastructure and people. The main difference, though, is the danger. While in the game the protagonist hides from enemies in the forests and avoids roads, in reality it’s better not to stray from them because of landmines. Radiation hasn’t gone anywhere, but today explosives pose a much greater threat.