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bitComposer Games secures worldwide rights to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

20 August 2009

bitComposer Games has secured the worldwide rights to the next first person shooter, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, of the Ukrainian developer team GSC Game World.

With over 2 million copies sold, the new episode of the most internationally successful S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series seamlessly connects to the first part of the Shadow of Chernobyl.

The release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat for Windows PC is scheduled for autumn 2009. We were able to enlist NAMCO BANDAI Partners Germany as our sales partner, which will guarantee a consistent distribution of the title.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat takes PC gamers once again into the vicinity of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor that exploded in 1986. This so-called "Zone" is a highly contaminated area cordoned off by the military and now is combed through by the so-called s.t.a.l.k.e.r.s, modern fortune hunters, in search of unique artefacts. In the role of Agent Alexander Degtyarev, who is dressed up as s.t.a.l.k.e.r., the player has to investigate the mysterious disappearance of five military helicopters and thereby stand one's ground against the various s.t.a.l.k.e.r. groups.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat skilfully combines first person shooter action with role-playing elements and is set in a realistic post-atomic scenario. This impression is underscored by the finely detailed industrial ruins, reproduced here on the basis of aerial pictures and the developers' own photographs. Mutants, various s.t.a.l.k.e.r. groups and the mostly lethal anomalies in the environment encountered everywhere ensure a constant sense of menace.

The thrilling story is advanced by numerous quests the player undertakes in the most varied regions, among them a secret military base, the city of Prypiat that lends its name to the game, a factory site named Jupiter, as well as many other areas. The player can decide as far as possible how the area is explored and which tasks he undertakes – freedom of action determines the gameplay. Depending on the group to which a player belongs, other groups respond in a friendly or hostile manner.

The player is supported by various weapon systems, many weapon upgrades and several items of equipment. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat uses the time-tested X-Ray graphic engine developed by GSC.

"With S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, we have another high profile title in our portfolio. The fact that we could assert ourselves against internationally established publishers shows the trust placed in us by GSC," says Wolfgang Duhr, director of bitComposer Games. "Together with GSC and our distribution partners, we want to continue the success of the series, so that we can build on this basis in the future".

"Like its predecessor, the latest episode of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe will ensure enthusiasm and adds a great product to our portfolio for this years' Christmas season," says Patrick Rausch, Marketing Director of NAMCO BANDAI Partners Germany. "We’re looking forward to our collaboration with the professional team of bitComposer Games."

"We're anticipating a very successful international release for Call of Pripyat and are happy to work with bitComposer Games to bring this next chapter of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. to PC gamers worldwide," says Sergiy Grygorovych, CEO of GSC Game World.

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