Ukrainian Developer Of The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Series Dies Fighting Russians

War spares no one. It does not discriminate. And this holds true for the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. The war, which is thought to be the culmination of a conflict that started in 2014, has claimed countless lives. Many men and women from both sides have taken up arms to fight for their countries.

Just like people from other walks of life, game developers and programmers have also opted to join the fight for their homeland. And, unfortunately, as is the case in any conflict, a Ukrainian developer of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, Volodymyr Ezhov, has been killed.

MAJOR TAKEAWAYS 

• Volodymyr Ezhov, a Ukrainian developer of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series has died in the town of Bakhmut in Eastern Ukraine fighting the Russians.
• He was part of the development team for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky (2008), Alexander (2004), Cossacks 2 (2005), and Heroes of Annihilated Empires (2006).
• As a recognition of his work, GSC Game World used his face for one of the characters in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat.
• Bakhmut, the city where he was killed, has seen intense fighting in the last few weeks due to its strategic importance to both sides.

As reported by multiple sources from Twitter and Telegram, Volodymyr Ezhov was killed while defending the city of Bakhmut in Eastern Ukraine on the Donbas Front. He was a member of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces.

https://twitter.com/warlockracy/status/1606685926687645698?t=15_5N-_cbbWyPtE4uZI1oQ&s=19

Volodymyr Ezhov was part of Ukrainian game developer GSC Game World. Founded in 1995, the studio had its first HQ in Kyiv. The studio first gained recognition in Russia and Ukraine for the development of the Cossacks series. It was also one of the first game studios to develop PC games in Russia.

Later the studio developed the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series which brought the studio international fame. Volodymyr Ezhov was also part of the team that developed the series, most notably S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky(2008).

Other games that he worked on include Alexander(2004), Cossacks 2(2005), and Heroes of Annihilated Empires(2006). As a token of appreciation for his work, the studio used his face on a character named Loki in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat.

The city he was reportedly killed in, Bakhmut, is right now the most contested area. Bakhmut has seen the worst fighting of the war over the last few weeks due to its strategic importance to both sides. It has turned into a meat grinder with both sides suffering huge amounts of casualties.

This is not the first time that a game developer has died in the conflict. Two months ago, Andrii Korzinkin, a Mass Exodus animator had died fighting the Russians.

War benefits no one. And, as George Santayana says, “Only the dead have seen the end of the war.” Let’s hope that is not the case with this war and let’s hope both parties find a peaceful solution to it.