Stalker 2 will let certain NFT owners become in-game NPCs

GSC Game World, the developers of the upcoming Stalker 2, today announced the Stalker Metaverse. This blockchain-based tech will allow gamers to own part of the game, giving them access to unique items.

GSC partnered with DMarket, a platform for metaverse tech and NFT trading, to develop the technology, which it claims is a first for a AAA game. According to GSC, players will be able to register for item drops, and as part of the drop series, “the first-ever metahuman will be released and exposed to hundreds of millions of gamers worldwide.” The metahuman will appear as an NPC in Stalker 2, and will have the face of its human owner — three metahumans will be selected in total. The first item drop takes place this month, while the next is in February.

Evgeniy Grygorovych, CEO of GSC Game World, said in a statement, “Considering the global trends in gaming, we can do more than just offer an immersive game experience. Our players can get a deeper presence in the game, and we will give them this opportunity by presenting the first AAA game with a unique meta experience.”

GSC adds that all drops will have no effect on the actual gameplay of Stalker 2, nor will it give any player an advantage over another.

Vlad Panchenko, CEO of DMarket, said in a statement, “Video game developers worldwide are expressing their intentions in using the blockchain and other beneficial technologies while GSC is already there… With the joint efforts of GSC and DMarket, Stalker  2 will become a game of the future and a game for the community.”

Rachel Kaser

Rachel Kaser is a gaming and technology writer for from Dallas, Texas. She's been in the games industry since 2013, writing for various publications, and currently covers news for GamesBeat. Her favorite game is Bayonetta.