GSC Game World has issued a fresh public statement rejecting claims made by its founder, Sergiy Grygorovych, that Microsoft paid the studio more than the entire development cost of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl to secure it as a timed Xbox exclusive. Speaking to Insider Gaming, the developer said it had initially chosen to stay silent but decided to respond because "continued silence may be perceived as confirmation of information that is simply not true," stressing that Grygorovych had no involvement in either partner negotiations or the game's production. The dispute matters because it touches on how much influence Microsoft's money had over a major Ukrainian studio's creative and business decisions during a war-affected development.

Notably, GSC's statement does not directly deny the financial claim itself, instead saying "the majority of the development budget" came from studio owner Max Krippa, and calling the project "one of the most challenging" in industry history. Grygorovych had earlier told YouTuber OLDboi that Microsoft's payment "paid for itself before the first day," driven by the tech giant's cash reserves, a wish to outmanoeuvre Sony, and strong online reaction to the reveal trailer, with contracts signed within about a week. Stalker 2 launched in a rough state in late 2024 after multiple delays, has since been improved through major patches, and its Xbox timed exclusivity ended in November 2025.