S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl to IPO on February 22

THQ Inc’s (NASDAQ: THQI) S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl for Windows PCs will debut on the simExchange on Thursday, February 22, 2007. The game will be categorized under the Shooter genre. Shares will open for purchase at 30 DKP (forecasts 300,000 copies sold worldwide over lifetime). The release is scheduled for March 19, 2007 in North America. The listing was contributed by Elmer92413. The summary of the game is:

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is a post-apocalyptic first-person shooter in which the player takes the role of a fortune seeking S.T.A.L.K.E.R., a treasure hunter armed with futuristic equipment living in "The Zone." "The Zone" is the location of the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown, though the game depicts an alternate reality of the area. The radiation has drastically affected the area resulting in strange animals and even strange physics. You will explore abandoned laboratories and military bases.

The game features non-linear, free roaming gameplay and unscripted AI. Monsters and characters all "live" lives: eating, resting, going about their day, etc. This enables nearly limitless random missions as any combination of events can result in something different happening, such as the player coming upon S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s on a treasure hunt encountering monsters who happen to be hunting for food.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. features some role-playing elements. Your character can interact with other NPCs to receive missions and join guilds; however, your character does not improve in attributes or "level" in this game. The game features a comprehensive NPC conversation system in which the player can choose the attitude and tone to respond. Your interactions with NPCs will develop your reputation in The Zone.

The game also features multiplayer supporting up to 32 players. This includes the standard Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch modes in addition to a unique Artifact hunt mode.