Back in 2007, the video game world was rocked by a small little game called S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. This fascinating open-world RPG action horror game, made by GSC Game World.

It was before its time many IPs that came after copied its dynamic world and gameplay. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was famous for its dynamic, living game world, bleak setting, and VERY realistic combat.

In a sense, it was Skyrim before that game came out. The player could affect the world around them through their choices, leading to a possible 17 different endings depending on choice and faction.

Interestingly, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games themselves were based on the 1971 sci-fi novel Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky brothers and influenced by the 1979 film Stalker by Andrei Tarkovsky, so the series has always had roots in literature and cinema.

With the recent release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl in November 2024 and the franchise proving its enduring popularity, exciting news has emerged.

GSC Game World is reportedly in negotiations with Netflix to create a series based on S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

With the success of similar video game adaptations like The Last of Us and Fallout, the franchise seems perfectly positioned for a proper screen adaptation.

But here’s something many fans don’t know, this isn’t actually the first time a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. TV series has been attempted. Given the series’ heritage in literature and cinema, it only made sense that GSC would want to bring the franchise to television.

So, let’s take a look at the video game TV series that almost was, over a decade before these Netflix negotiations began.

GSC Game World announced that it had independently funded a television pilot for the would-be series. The show was put together by a media production company called Transvision.

As of 2010, negotiations were underway with Russian and Ukrainian TV networks for a series deal that, if successful, would see a full series produced and broadcasted across the markets of the former Soviet Union.

GSC was so confident it even had a vision for licensing the series to Western Europe and North America.

A website was created and a trailer released, which you can watch below:

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series trailer eng

www.kinostalker.com

While the pilot and show looked to be low-budget and slightly cheesy, it really captured the feel of the game very well.

The game did a great job of creating a fantasy/sci-fi world that felt very real and alive, and the trailer itself was successful in creating a bleak and dangerous landscape.

The trailer also excited gamers by showing its faithfulness to the source material, showcasing a plethora of dark, radioactive tunnels, killer anomalies, and hordes of angry men shouting at each other in Russian.

While the show had a very unpolished look to it, that itself was a strength, as the game was a brutal and stark adventure, inherently unpolished and unforgiving.

So, the question remains: What happened? With a pilot filmed and actors cast, why did this show drop off the map? The answer seems to be that the game studio, GSC, officially dissolved in December of 2011.

A new studio was formed by a group of former employees, but it is unknown what exactly happened to the rights of the TV program and pilot.

In December of 2014, GSC officially reopened its doors and began working on new gaming IPs. From that point forward, there has been no word on the TV show.

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games continue to have a lively player base, and the modding community is still very active. Plus, all three S.T.A.L.K.E.R. entries still sell well in the bi-annual STEAM holiday sales.

The IP has remained so popular that GSC eventually developed the long-awaited sequel, proving the franchise’s staying power.

Perhaps GSC should release the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. TV pilot online or to STEAM and let the fans see what could have been.

With negotiations now underway for a proper series, the dream of a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. TV show may finally become reality, just over a decade after that original pilot was filmed.

In the meantime, the teaser website for the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. TV show is still live, check it out here, for some more information and images from the pilot.

What do you all think? Would you like to see a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. TV show released? Let us know in the comments below!