Adding to the growing list of titles that require a persistent connection to the internet is S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. Although the title is still quite early in development, GSC Game World have decided to adopt a strategy similar to that of the approach Blizzard took with Diablo III to fight piracy. Essential game resources — such as scripting routines for quests will be stored and executed through remote servers, which will make the game nigh-impossible to pirate for those that want the full experience.

GSC Game World head Sergey Grigorovich dropped the tidbit in a recent interview:

Protection from piracy? Part of the content will be located on the server and downloaded as the game progresses. Permanent internet access is required. Text information, code and quests will be loaded through that connection. Software piracy is an issue for us, we try to fight it, but within reason.

If people can not afford a licensed version, it is to our advantage if they download a pirated copy, and then want to buy a license. In Ukraine, there are different products that people love so much that they buy a license in principle. We want to create just such a product.

Platforms were not specified — so this could apply to the console version as well, not just PC.

Thanks, STALKER forums.

Follow this author on Twitter.