Report - Bethesda bags rights to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game

Russian blogger Sergey Galyonkin has said Bethesda now owns the rights to publish a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game, but that extended rights remain with Sergei Grigorovich.

According to Galyonkin, GSC's Sergei Grigorovich has not sold the brand, but Bethesda can now use its own tech to develop future titles.

It was reported earlier that Bethedsa had acquired the total rights to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise. In an update on his post, however, Galyonkin added (through machine translation): "I see that the division of rights raises questions. Briefly: Bethesda - game, Grigorovich - everything else (books, movies, merchandise). But Bethesda might have the right to redeem all of Grigorovich, as once bought Fallout from Interplay."

As regards the matter, Bethesda PR said: "We don't comment on rumours or speculation."

Speaking on Twitter in response to a VG247 question, though, Bethesda comms boss Peter Hines said: "Didn't we already do this rumor back in April?"

Back in May, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. creator and GSC boss Sergei Grigorovich took to Facebook to deny rumors the US firm was in the process of acquiring rights to develop the franchise.

“There is no truth to the allegations that the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. rights have been sold to Bethesda," he said.  "The rights belong to Sergiy Grygorovych, the founder of GSC Game World.”

GSC Games World shut its doors back in December and development on STALKER 2 was cancelled.

Former employees went on to form Vostok Games, and are developing Survarium, free-to-play, multiplayer-focused title in the spirit of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise.

Thanks RPS.