{"rewrite":{"id":"r_4c1475fda8614c7738e25eb6","clusterId":"c_c52e49da36dfa7842efee909","slug":"stalcraft-x-renamed-to-stalzone-after-trademark-issues","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Stalcraft: X Renamed to Stalzone After Trademark Issues","summary":"Developer EXBO has renamed the free MMOFPS Stalcraft: X to Stalzone. The original name was rejected for trademark registration because it resembled Blizzard's StarCraft. A legal battle and a change to Stalcraft: X did not resolve the problem. The name also misled players about the game's genre, which is now an extraction shooter with MMO elements.","whyItMatters":"The name change resolves a trademark conflict with Blizzard and aligns the game's title with its current extraction-shooter gameplay, dropping the 'craft' suffix that suggested a sandbox survival game.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eDeveloper EXBO has renamed the free MMOFPS Stalcraft: X to Stalzone. The game, set in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, began as a Minecraft mod server recreating the world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. It has been available on Steam and the Epic Games Store since December 2022. EXBO stated that the original name Stalcraft, a combination of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Minecraft, was rejected for trademark registration because it resembled Blizzard Entertainment\u0026#39;s StarCraft. A legal battle and a change to Stalcraft: X did not improve the situation, and the problem grew after the Steam release due to expanded regional distribution. The name also gave the impression of a casual sandbox or craft-focused survival game, which conflicted with the game\u0026#39;s current identity as an extraction shooter with an MMO-like feel. EXBO said the name\u0026#39;s benefits diminished over time and sometimes became a hindrance, leading to the decision to change it to avoid issues with future campaigns. Stalzone is available for free on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, though the Epic Games Store version still uses the old name as of writing.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"The name change to Stalzone reflects a trademark conflict with Blizzard that neither a legal battle nor a prior rebrand to Stalcraft: X could settle.","twitterPost":"Stalzone is EXBO's third attempt at a name after trademark issues with Blizzard's StarCraft.","threadsPost":"The Stalcraft: X rebrand to Stalzone is the third name for this game. Trademark issues with Blizzard's StarCraft forced two previous attempts. The new name also drops the MMOFPS label to reflect the extraction shooter genre.","newsletterBlurb":"Developer EXBO has renamed the free MMOFPS Stalcraft: X to Stalzone. The original name was rejected for trademark registration because it resembled Blizzard's StarCraft. A legal battle and a change to Stalcraft: X did not resolve the problem. The name also misled players about the game's genre, which is now an extraction shooter with MMO elements.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/06/18/168154.html\",\"title\":\"Free MMOFPS 'STALCRAFT: X' Set in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Renamed to 'STALZONE'\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":3879,"outputTokens":682,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1781803518,"createdAt":"2026-06-18T17:14:42.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-06-18T17:18:15.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-18T17:18:15.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_c52e49da36dfa7842efee909","canonicalTitle":"チョルノービリ立入禁止区域が舞台の無料MMOFPS『STALCRAFT: X』が『STALZONE』に名称変更","representativeArticleId":"a_2b7460539ad9f233a5e08d8f","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"STALCRAFT: X\",\"STALZONE\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"news\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-06-18T09:30:03.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-06-18T09:30:03.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-18T17:18:16.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/06/18/168154.html","title":"チョルノービリ立入禁止区域が舞台の無料MMOFPS『STALCRAFT: X』が『STALZONE』に名称変更"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["STALCRAFT: X","STALZONE"],"studios":[],"people":[],"type":"news","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["EXBO renamed the free MMOFPS Stalcraft: X to Stalzone after the original name was rejected for trademark registration because it resembled Blizzard's StarCraft.","The game began as a Minecraft mod server recreating the world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and has been available on Steam and the Epic Games Store since December 2022.","The name Stalcraft gave the impression of a casual sandbox or craft-focused survival game, conflicting with the game's current identity as an extraction shooter with MMO elements.","Stalzone is available for free on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, though the Epic Games Store version still uses the old name as of writing."]}