Интересное заявление, подписанное Ukrainian gamers against S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl будоражит нынче игровое комьюнити. Речь идёт о некой группе украинских фанатов нашумевшего проекта, которые возмущены отсутствием украинской версии игры. Вот что они пишут слово в слово:
To Whom It May Concern:
Recently GSC Gameworld announced the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. This is quite impressive game and it will have a great impact on the gaming world. We would like to point out some issues in this game that concern dignity of the people that live Chornobyl region and localization of the game.
This is taken from the official website of this game
http://www.stalker-game.com/m `Q: In what languages will S.T.A.L.K.E.R.be released?
A: It`s all standard with the localisation. The game will be translated into all the main languages - English, Russian, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Korean. Further on the localisation list may be expanded. Possibly in order to get an extra colouring of the Zone, the character voiceover will remain in Russian with translation going as sub-titles.`
GSC Gameworld is located in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. GSC Gameworld pays taxes in Ukraine. GSC Gameworld does not even consider language of its own country of 50 million people to be the `main language`. Company website in only in English and Russian and it specifically prohibits posting messages in forums in other languages than those two. GSC Gameworld doesn`t know that the name of the town is Chornobyl but not ChErnobyl, which is used only in Russia.
Decision to build nuclear plant in Chornobyl as well as six other nuclear plants in Ukraine was made in Moscow, Russia by soviet regime with a complete disregard to safety and wishes of Ukrainian people. Ukraine did not need that much electricity at that time and it was sold to Europe. Chornobyl is on Ukrainian territory and according to All-Ukrainian census of 2001 92,5% of the population of Kyiv region, where Chornobyl is located, are Ukrainians.
Ukrainians suffered terribly after the accident. Many lives where lost. Making this game in Russian is disrespect to those lives and people that live in Ukraine.
We understand that there some people in Ukraine and abroad that disrespect Ukrainian sovereignty, culture and traditions. We hope that GSC Gameworld is not under the influence of those people.
Moreover, products sold in Ukraine must have description, labels and marking in Ukrainian language. Exclusion of Ukrainian language from the game is a clear violation of the Ukrainian law.
We will do everything possible to impede the distribution of this game in Unites States, Europe, and Ukraine and alert Ukrainian authorities and international community.
Most of employees of GSC Gameworld know Ukrainian and it is the matter of days to change the language in the game as well as to make the Ukrainian version of the company website. We hope that you would be able influence GSC Gameworld to make changes to their policy. This will definitely avoid the negative publicity, which would follow the release of the game and will boost the company profits.
Copy of this letter will be send to reviewers and companies that GSC Gameworld is partners with such as THQ, NVIDIA, and AMD.
Yours,
Ukrainian gamers against S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl