A unconfirmed Ukraine report says Bethesda has acquired the publishing rights to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise. A sequel was canceled earlier this year when developer GSC Game World closed its doors.

According to the report, Bethesda can now make games based on the franchise with its own technology. It does not have the rights to extend the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe, however.

Bethesda PR manager Pete Hines declined to comment on the report.

[Source: Rock,Paper,Shotgun]