The paper covers one of the specific cases of the role of simulacra in tourist experience. The following research seeks to explore the relationship between growing popularity of visits to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) and its image as "a post-apocalyptic site". The architecture of the abandoned city of Pripyat' and Chernobyl, as well as the power plant itself, serve as an exquisite tool for creating different media narratives which become a source of inspiration for tourist industry. One among them are video games "S.T.A.L.K.E.R." and "Call of Duty 4'. They have gained a spectacular interest of game players worldwide, thereby contributing to the development of tourism in the CEZ. This article aims at showing how the Zone space is subjected to a simulation and what implications for tourist experience it brings. The research seeks to depict how the games reflect the real architecture of the CEZ, and consequently stimulates motivations and experience of people who visit or wish to visit the site. The analysis is based on the online survey among game players who have visited or plan to visit the Zone.