S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

About

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (Scavenger, Trespasser, Adventurer, Loner, Killer, Explorer, Robber) is a series of survival horror first person shooter video games developed for PC by a Ukrainian developer GSC Game World. It is set in a alternate universe where a second explosion occurs in the area surrounding Chernobyl, creating a place called “The Zone”.

History

The series was originally inspired by a science fiction novel Roadside Picnic written by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky in 1971, and a loosely based film adaptation Stalker, released in 1979. Some of the games’ terminology is borrowed from them.

The original game named Shadow of Chernobyl^[2], was originally announced in November 2001 and to be released in 2003, but due to the release date being pushed back multiple times, the game was considered vaporware^[1]. The game was eventually released in March 2007 under the publisher THQ, getting generally positive reception.

Other installments in the series include: Clear Sky^[3], a prequel released in August – September 2008, and Call of Pripyat^[4], a sequel released in October 2009 – February 2010.

Another sequel named S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was announced in August 2010, however it was cancelled due to the developer studio dissolving. The team who worked on the game formed a new studio called Vostok Games, and are developing a spiritual successor of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, a free-to-play MMOFPS named Survarium^[10].

Online Presence

The series has garnered a significant following within the gaming community, due to the games’ grim atmosphere and harsh difficulty. The series has a wiki site^[5], a Facebook page^[6], and several forums^[7] dedicated to it, also a significant presence within sites like 4chan, Reddit, and Tumblr. The series has also gathered an active modding community, with sites such as ModDB^[8] and FileFront^[9] holding a large variety of game modifications: from patches and bugfixes, to additional content and game overhauls. The series fandom has created numerous pieces of fanwork over the years, including several short films based in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. setting.

Related Memes

Get Out Of Here, Stalker!

“Get Out Of Here, Stalker!” is a phrase which comes from the original entry in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game series: Shadow of Chernobyl. It’s often used in discussions surrounding the games and game related image macros.

Cheeki Breeki

Cheeki Breeki is a phrase associated with stock quotes, repeated by the stalkers of the Bandit faction during the gunfights with them. It is widely used within the community in discussions and image macros.

Blowout Soon, Fellow Stalker

Blowout Soon, Fellow Stalker is a comic, featuring one stalker warning another about the upcoming blowout. When asked about when the blowout occurs, the stalker reveals a skull face and proclaims “NOW”. The image has been parodied several times.