The developers are calling for personal stories, photographs, and historical materials related to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. While S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl takes us through a sci-fi landscape filled with artifacts and anomalies, this project seeks to ground the game's legacy in the lived experiences of those connected to the actual site. Submissions are open until March 31, 2026, with the collected testimonies set to be shared publicly in April 2026.
This initiative highlights why S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl has just been nominated for a BAFTA Games Award in the "Game Beyond Entertainment" category. It recognizes that the game serves as a cultural touchstone, bridging the gap between hardcore survival RPG mechanics and the preservation of historical memory. For players, this means the world we explore as Skif is getting a deeper layer of real-world context that makes every scavenged supply and faction conflict feel that much more significant.
If you have a story or a piece of history to share, you have until the end of March next year to contribute to this archive. It’s a rare moment where a game's community can directly help shape the legacy of the very environment they spend hundreds of hours surviving in.
Soren