Ukrainian game studio GSC Game World amazed the world with its cult projects such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Cossacks. However, recently, there have been unexpected changes in the company's ownership structure, as businessman Maxim Krippa became the new owner of the studio. This event caused a significant resonance among gaming fans in Ukraine and beyond. Let's take a closer look at the reasons for these changes, the history of GSC Game World, and details about the new owner.
The studio's community manager, Maxim Tkachenko, provided detailed comments, revealing the essence of the matter. He talked about the intricacies related to intellectual property, the involvement of the Grigorovich brothers, and the impact of these sudden transformations on the company's strategy.
According to him, the new owner, Maxim Krippa, has long been one of the investors and co-founders of the studio. His cooperation with the organization began in 2020. He noted that the changes that were made to the state registers of Ukraine and the Czech Republic were part of an investment agreement. The details of this pact are protected by a non-disclosure agreement, but some aspects of the deal became known due to its format.
One of the main reasons why Maxim Krippa received a proposal from Grigorovich to buy the company is the prospects for the evolution of GSC Game World and the expected financial support. Now reality meets expectations: Maxim Krippa proposed new concepts for the further promotion of the organization. The entrepreneur expressed a desire to support the innovation and craftsmanship of GSC Game World developers, as well as to focus on the overall development of the eSports industry in Ukraine.
Maxim Krippa's decision to become the new owner of GSC Game World was a well-planned and thought-out strategy aimed at providing the organization with new growth and evolution paths.
The history of GSC Game World: following the path of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
In 1995, Sergey Grigorovich founded GSC Game World, the developer of the legendary game series Cossacks and S.T.A.L.K.E.R., both of which confirmed a high level of craftsmanship in creating virtual worlds.
The company's first major success was brought by the game Cossacks: European Wars, which appeared on Steam in 2001, gaining international recognition. Developing the success, the developers were quick to release expansions "The Art of War" and Cossacks: Back to War on Steam. Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars, presented in 2005, continued this iconic series, and the next year gamers received the expansion "Battle for Europe".
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series reveals stories in the exclusion zone near Pripyat, evoking sharp sensations from immersion in a post-apocalyptic world. The three parts of the series: "Shadow of Chernobyl", “Clear Sky”, and “Call of Pripyat”, presented between 2007 and 2009, provided players with unique experiences.
The development of the second part of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was announced in 2010 but was later suspended due to financial difficulties. After Maxim Krippa became an investor and then the owner of GSC Game World, the development of the new part of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was resumed.
About the new owner - who is Maxim Krippa
According to open sources, Maxim Krippa is an entrepreneur from Ukraine whose interests span across the virtual arenas of digital competitions, eSports, information technology architecture, and real estate. He owns the famous eSports franchise Navi and the corporation Maincast, which specializes in broadcasting electronic sports events.
It is important to know that back in 2018, the club's founder, Kokhanovsky, announced the sale of the Natus Vincere club due to the need for significant investments. At the end of the same year, Maxim Krippa became an investor and opened negotiations to buy the company, attracting attention to his achievements in the IT field and successful real estate investments.
Maincast is another eSports team in which Maxim Krippa holds 25% of the share capital. The studio owns over 90% of the rights to cover eSports competitions in Ukrainian, and NAVI has become a symbol of Ukrainian eSports, especially in the CS:GO and Dota 2 communities. Both companies are market leaders, and a sharp increase in their work occurred after Maxim Krippa became a key investor.
Regarding the new asset of the businessman, GSC Game World intends to continue developing games, with the studio's first new game, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, expected in 2024.
Entrepreneur Maxim Krippa is also the founder of the MK Foundation, a foundation that has been supporting Ukrainian military personnel since the beginning of the armed conflict. The MK Foundation actively supports the Armed Forces of Ukraine and government agencies, providing them with the necessary equipment and resources.
The future of companies - NAVI, Maincast, and GSC Game World and the investments that Maxim Krippa makes in them will allow the launch of new projects and the implementation of the boldest ideas. Given the seriousness and professionalism of the new leadership, it can be expected that GSC Game World will continue to delight the world with games, evoking a sense of incredible excitement among players around the world.
