S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Studio’s DMCA Gets Indie Game Misery Pulled From Steam as Developers Deny Infringement

Overview

• Valve notified Misery’s developer and publisher that GSC Game World reported unauthorized use of its game content, sharing illustrative side‑by‑side screenshots in the email.
• Misery’s team says no characters, assets, music, code, or story elements from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. were used, arguing the overlap reflects common post‑Soviet survival tropes and widely cited inspirations like Tarkovsky’s Stalker and Roadside Picnic.
• The game remains delisted on Steam, and the developer says development continues while they contest the claim and seek reinstatement.
• GSC Game World had not issued a detailed public breakdown of alleged asset reuse in the reporting reviewed, and PC Gamer said it had reached out for comment.
• Online chatter introduced unverified claims about asset copying and political posts tied to the project; the lead developer apologized for past offensive remarks and tightened Discord moderation.