A Ukrainian game studio, GSC Game World, has publicly denied accusations that it blocked YouTube videos about the STALKER series on Russian and Belarusian media channels. This clarification was reported by VGTimes in its version of the story.
Starting June 20, several Russian-language YouTube channels saw notices of copyright infringement tied to videos related to the STALKER games. In many cases, these notices led to blocks on the respective clips. The allegations originated from a person identified as Roman Golubnichy, who appeared to be associated with the STALKER franchise in correspondence. The claims were directed at VGTimes, a Russian gaming portal, and the Belarusian outlet iXBT.games, both of which suffered disruptions in their video content as a result.
Golubnichy claimed to be an employee of GSC Game World in communications with iXBT.games, a claim that raised questions within VGTimes about the legitimacy of the association, especially since the communications used a public email domain rather than a corporate one. In response, editors from VGTimes sought direct confirmation from GSC Game World to verify the person’s role and affiliation.
GSC Game World responded by stating that the individual in question had no connection to the company. The studio advised VGTimes to pursue an appeal with the video platform and suggested that including a formal letter from GSC Game World as evidence could support the dispute over unblocking the blocked content.
VGTimes noted that it has already appealed YouTube’s blocking decision, but as of the report’s publication, the platform had not yet issued a final ruling. The situation highlights ongoing challenges around copyright claims in the gaming media landscape and the importance of clear verification when authorship and affiliation are questioned.
Meanwhile, the article also touches on other industry items, such as perspectives on collectible items within long-running game franchises, illustrating how news cycles can intertwine with community-driven interest in rare in-game content and official channels for obtaining accurate information about such items.