Update 8/17/2022 12:05 p.m. ET: The official STALKER Twitter account shared a short 15-second video that gives fans a closer look at the supermarket's interior. Our original story follows below.
What you need to know
- STALKER 2 developer has teamed up with the Ukrainian supermarket chain Silpo to open a STALKER-themed supermarket in Kyiv, Ukraine.
- The market features artwork, decorations, and even some foods that are themed after STALKER. There's also a coffee boutique and a "Traditional Shop" inside that sells additional Ukrainian goods.
- STALKER 2 is expected to launch in 2023 on Xbox and PC. It was originally slated to release in 2022, but was delayed due to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Just a day after STALKER 2 developer GSC Game World announced a collaboration with the Ukrainian supermarket chain Silpo, a STALKER-themed Silpo grocery store has opened in Ukraine's capital city, Kyiv. Featuring artwork, props, and even various foodstuffs decorated with STALKER iconography, the supermarket looks like something straight out of the franchise's fictional version of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
As reported by BZH Life, the plan to create a STALKER grocery shop was formed in the summer of 2021. However, due to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, GSC Game World and Silpo had to postpone the creation of the market. Now, though, the store is officially open, providing Kyiv residents with food and other goods.
In addition to the main grocery shopping area, the supermarket also has a shop dubbed "Vlasna Confectionery" that offers coffee, pizza, pastries, and sweets to customers looking for something to eat while visiting the store. There's also a "Traditional Shop" that features various types of goods from Ukrainian manufacturers.
Once the war in Ukraine ends, GSC Game World and Silpo have plans to add additional decorations to the interior of the market. These will include artistic recreations of the deadly mutants and supernatural anomalies that players can encounter while exploring The Zone in-game. I also have to wonder if more STALKER-themed food and drink will eventually be sold, too — it would be pretty awesome to try a real-life version of the game's energy drink, a can of Tourist's Delight, or a kolbasa-style diet sausage.
GSC Game World's next game, STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl, is slated to launch on Xbox and PC in 2023. The game was originally going to release in 2022, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine delayed its development. Work on the game has resumed since many of the studio's employees have managed to safely reach the Czech Republic, though several GSC Game World developers are still in the midst of the Ukraine conflict.
If you'd like to support the people of Ukraine, GSC Game World recommends making a donation to the United24 initiative. Contributions will go towards defense, demining, medical aid, and rebuilding efforts.
