STALKER 2... Gone Gold

So reportedly STALKER 2 has 'gone gold', that is, its reached its
final 'ready for release, no more features or fixes added' version. It
has a reported released date of November 20th of this year.

Will it really make it?

It's been a rough road for STALKER 2, with many failed attempts to
first get it off the ground, and then a long development cycle (and
missed release dates) for its current iteration. Its understandable if
some look askance at this latest announcement; history would be on
their side, after all. But I think this time, it's really going to
happen.

I'm somewhat torn about the news. I have a mixed relationship with the
STALKER games. I admire what they try to do, even as much as I damn
them for their actual implementation. There's a lot of fun to be had
in the STALKER games, but a lot to dislike too. I got a lot of
enjoyment playing them even as I hated the experience.

It's a weird franchise.

So news about the STALKER 2 release? I'm similarly ambivalent. A part
of me wants to rush out and buy it right away

    [Not gonna happen. Not so soon after the "Mechwarrior 5:
     Clans" reminded me of the folly of doing so]

                 but another part says, 'Wait, wait. Remember all the
bits you disliked about "STALKER" and "Clear Skies" and "Call of
Pripyat". Wait a few months or years until the cost has gone down, and
the price of your disappointment is less severe'. There's no rush,
after all.


Except then I remember Ukraine, and wonder if maybe there is a rush...
especially since it seems likely the US is going to abandon that ally
in a few months (Putin could never manage to win in Ukraine through
force of arms, but he has certainly has talent for leveraging American
idiots to his advantage). So there's a big part of me that wants to
buy STALKER 2 just to show support --Slava Ukraini!-- for that nation
through the purchase of their best video game.

Although that money would probably be better spent just sending to a
pro-Ukraine charity. So that's what I'll probably do instead.

    [Who knew that a decision about a buying a video game
     might have such vital geo-political consequences? ;-)]


Still, even ignoring such topics and whether or not I'd actually LIKE
the game, it still excites me just to see the game actually get
released. It's been a road fourteen years long (a development cycle as
protracted as "Duke Nukem Forever"!) and even if the actual game isn't
to my taste, I hope it succeeds. It's creation has obviously been a
labor of love for its developers, and the franchise has been
foundational to modern PC gaming.

Now if only it actually gets released. ;-)