When people talk about S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, Metro Exodus, or World of Tanks, they may not immediately associate these games with Ukraine. Yet Ukrainian studios and specialists have been contributing to games played by millions of people around the world for many years.
According to DOU's ranking from September 2025, the 16 largest product-focused game development companies in Ukraine employed more than 5,000 specialists combined.
But major game studios are only one part of the industry. Ukraine is also home to service studios, smaller teams, and independent specialists working on international projects.
For example, GSC Game World created the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, while 4A Games is behind the Metro series. Ukrainian studios also contribute to games developed by other companies.
Room 8 Studio worked on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, contributing to game environments, weapons, visual effects, and animation.
Kevuru Games has worked on projects connected to Star Wars, Fortnite, Iron Order 1919, and Birdly. The studio specializes in game art and development, creating characters, 3D models, animation, and other game assets.
An industry that kept working
Russia's full-scale invasion had a major impact on Ukrainian companies. Some teams relocated, others shifted to remote work, while many specialists continued working from Ukraine.
One notable example is S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, released in 2024. Development continued throughout the full-scale invasion, with part of the GSC Game World team relocating abroad.
Behind every game is a team most players never see
Behind S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Metro, and other well-known games are thousands of specialists: programmers, 2D and 3D artists, animators, designers, sound designers, and many others.
Some create games under their own recognizable brands. Others spend years contributing to projects for other studios and publishers — and millions of players may never realize how many Ukrainian specialists helped bring those games to life.
