GSC Game World has issued an official statement rejecting claims that Microsoft’s Xbox partnership fully financed S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, following comments made by company founder Sergiy Grygorovych in a recent podcast interview.

The controversy began after Grygorovych suggested that Microsoft’s agreement had covered the game’s development costs before production was completed, prompting widespread speculation about the project’s funding model. In response, GSC said it chose to address the issue because remaining silent could be interpreted as confirming information the studio considers inaccurate.

According to the developer, Grygorovych was not involved in negotiations with publishing partners or in the game’s production throughout its full development cycle, meaning his public comments should not be treated as an accurate representation of the studio’s business arrangements.

GSC also clarified that owner Maksym Krippa funded the majority of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’s development budget, while thanking players, partners and those who supported the studio during one of the industry’s most demanding production cycles. The company added that the story behind the game’s development should be based on verified facts rather than speculation.

While Microsoft played an important role as a publishing and platform partner, the studio’s statement makes clear that the project relied on multiple funding sources rather than being entirely financed through the Xbox agreement.

Looking ahead, GSC said its focus remains on post-launch support for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, including a major upcoming update and the game’s first large-scale story DLC, both of which are expected to be detailed in the near future.