Stalker 2 is now due to come out on PC and Xbox in November, but a documentary about the making of the game was released this week.
It shows members of the development team talking about the dawning realisation that Russia was about to invade.
Lead producer Mariia Grygorovych remembers commissioning buses to wait outside the company’s offices in Kyiv, ready to transport employees and their families to Ukraine’s western border.
Ultimately, just over 180 made the journey when the invasion began, with 139 choosing to stay behind and help the war effort.
Some have joined the military while others have continued to work on Stalker 2 in between their duties.
Those who evacuated eventually set up a second studio in Prague, in the Czech Republic, rebuilding motion capture and audio studios from scratch.
It also features members of the team who stayed in Ukraine talking about fighting for their country while continuing to work on the game.
“We load our weapons with one hand and make our game with the other,” says one.