"What you're talking about is a completely unjustified rumour which appeared on the net just recently," the developer's senior PR manager Oleg V. Yavorsky told us when queried on this latest S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 'news'. Saying that his entire morning's been spent "clarifying the situation to [the] public today", he added "...the whole buzz is nothing but a hoax." Yavorsky also assured us that GSC is "working full throttle on completing the game".

I have called Grigorovich and, after elaborating on the situation, write that on Friday on another regular meeting it had been decided to transfer some of the designers to the Heroes of Annihilated Empires development team and to dismiss some of those who are no longer required. To be exact: from 40 members of the staff two were transfered to work on graphics in the RTS department and five were dismissed. When I asked Sergey about the reason, he replied that all the graphics in STALKER is almost finished and there are more than enough designers for the Heroes of Annihilated Empires.

None of those from the leaders, lead designers, programmers and especially testers weren't fired and it's ridiculous to even think about something like this. That's an approximate re-telling of the telephone conversation. And as for "failing to receive an official comment from GSC" Sergey said to "call me on the cell phone, I'm always available". All the press knows his coordinates, mine too.

Now, from myself, sorry, but it's becoming painful: what's the reason for bothering our STALKER so much - you've got your own Russian developers. Look at HOMM5: four years in development already, I looked at the beta yesterday... But somehow there are no caustic remarks about developers not being on time with the project. And as soon as we have graphics finished - Gamemag straight away writes that STALKER's got problems.

Dear press, don't be YELLOW. If you need any information, feel free to phone/write us.

To clarify the concerns of some fans regarding S.T.A.L.K.E.R.-related rumours to have appeared recently on the net, GSC Game World believes it necessary to explain the following:

- The project is on the stage of beta approval and is being actively developed in close cooperation with the publisher.

- The team has undergone certain reductions, particularly in the art section, due to all the graphics-related works being almost complete (out of 40 people 5 were dismissed). None of the leads, programmers and moreover, testers may not be reduced at any time.

- Regarding the technology leak, none of the designers gone has the rights to the game's engine (all the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. technologies, including the X-Ray engine and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.-2 engine belong to the company). Even if the current or next-generation engine would appear on the net, their legal use is impossible. GSC does not intend to sell its technologies in the nearest time, so as does not intend to postpone the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl due to rumours of that kind.