Stalker 2 Devs Issue DMCA Against Copycat Game ‘Misery’
▼ Summary
– GSC Game World issued a DMCA takedown against the game Misery, alleging copyright infringement and causing its removal from Steam.
– The Misery development team claims their game is entirely original, uses no Stalker assets, and is set in a fictional location unrelated to the Stalker universe.
– Misery’s developer apologized for past offensive comments found online, stating they do not reflect current beliefs and condemning extremism and discrimination.
– Speculation suggests the DMCA may be due to alleged use of Stalker 2 assets or the developer’s reported support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with GSC being a Ukrainian studio.
– Despite the takedown, the Misery team remains confident the issue will be resolved and plans to continue development and release updates.
The developer behind the highly anticipated Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, GSC Game World, has initiated a Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown against the cooperative survival horror game Misery. This action led to the game’s removal from the Steam platform after Valve complied with the infringement allegation. The Misery development team, primarily a solo developer known as Maewing, expressed feeling “under attack” and defended their project as an entirely separate concept set in the fictional Republic of Zaslavie, with no connection to the Stalker universe.
According to the Misery team, their game does not incorporate any characters, plot elements, assets, monsters, music, or code from GSC’s titles. They stated that all content is either originally created or properly licensed, framing the DMCA as an abuse of corporate power targeting a small independent developer. They emphasized that Misery draws inspiration from various media, including films and literature, just as the Stalker series itself was influenced by works like Roadside Picnic and Tarkovsky’s film. The team argued that common thematic elements, such as Soviet-era architecture, guitars, vodka, and radiation, cannot be copyrighted.
Valve’s notification included visual comparisons between Misery and earlier Stalker titles, highlighting similarities in environmental design and scenes featuring characters in gas masks gathered around campfires. Despite the removal, the Misery team remains optimistic, asserting their belief that the situation will be resolved and the game will return to Steam soon. They acknowledged the significant mental and financial strain caused by the takedown but confirmed that development and planned updates will continue uninterrupted.
Publicly, the developers urged their community to avoid retaliatory actions, specifically asking players not to review-bomb GSC’s games or engage in hateful comments, particularly those targeting nationality. However, in a private Discord channel, the developer posted offensive remarks, which later surfaced online. This prompted a formal apology where Maewing took full responsibility for the “immature, thoughtless, and wrong” statements, clarifying they do not reflect his current views or values. He reaffirmed a commitment to handling the DMCA dispute calmly and professionally, expressing confidence in a fair review by Valve.
Online speculation suggests additional factors behind GSC’s specific targeting of Misery. Some Reddit users claim to have found indications that assets from Stalker 2 may have been used in Misery’s development. Others point to allegations that the developer or parts of the game’s community expressed support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which would be particularly sensitive given GSC’s status as a Ukrainian studio.
Looking ahead, GSC Game World has outlined a substantial post-launch roadmap for Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, with updates planned throughout 2025. These include refinements to the A-Life AI system, performance enhancements leveraging Unreal Engine 5, and the introduction of new equipment such as night vision devices.
(Source: EuroGamer)
