Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl – everything we know so far (2024)

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has been delayed again, this time to November 20. An earlier push-back in January 2024 saw our journey to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone moved to September, but the developer has announced a two-month further delay to give GNC Game World "breathing room to address technical issues with the game and bring the final release closer to the experience that the fans expect," according to a representative.

Stalker 2 is the long-awaited sequel to 2009's Call Of Pripyat, with the title suffering numerous delays as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine impacting development.

With its new and hopefully final release date now in sight, all attention is turning towards what is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated upcoming Xbox Series X games of the year. Stalker 2 is set to launch with a stunning open world, packed with dangerous enemies and even deadlier anomalies, meticulously crafted weapons, and an immersive sim spirit that should elevate this experience above the best FPS games of the generation so far. So keep reading to discover everything we know so far about Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, including information on the latest delay.

Stalker 2 release date

The Stalker 2 release date has been set for November 20, 2024. This pushes the game back two months from the September 5 release date given in January this year. "We know you might be tired of waiting, and we truly appreciate your patience," says game director Yevhen Grygorovych in an official press release. "These two additional months will give us the chance to fix more 'unexpected anomalies' (or simply 'bugs', as you call them). We are always grateful for your ongoing support and understanding - it means the world to us. We’re just as eager as you are to finally release the game and for you to experience it for yourself."

The game was set to launch in Q1 2024, although developer GSC Game World has stated that "the game apparently needed more time in the oven" based on feedback from a playable build the studio presented at Gamescom 2023. We went hands-on with Stalker 2 at the event and found that while the atmosphere was strong, its presentation and technical elements were a little rough. We're definitely keen to see how the game is shaping up now with the November release just months away, and hopefully those two extra months will give the studio ample time to smooth out the kinks.

Stalker 2 platforms

The Stalker 2 platforms have been confirmed for PC and Xbox Series X. We know that it will be available on Steam, Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store, and GOG for PC players, while it will also be accessible via Xbox Game Pass. The studio says that it is "doing our best to ensure an equal level of game experience and immersion, regardless of the gaming platform."

Stalker 2 Game Pass

Stalker 2 will be available via Game Pass for PC and Xbox Series X players. That means that, so long as you have an active subscription, Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl will be available from the full Xbox Game Pass list on the same day that it goes on sale at other storefronts.

Stalker 2 trailer

The Stalker 2 gameplay trailer, which you can watch above, works to set the tone of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone and outline some of the major innovations GSC Game World is striving for with Unreal Engine 5, photogrammetry technologies, as well as full body and facial motion capture. GSC promises that the high level of fidelity and atmosphere evident in the Stalker 2 trailers is representative of what will be delivered later this year.

Another short "trailer" of sorts was released alongside the latest Stalker 2 delay:

It's just a 40 second delay announcement trailer, but it does root us in the world of Stalker 2 by way of Colonel Korshunov's announcement to his troops that "the Zone will remain out-of-bounds until November 20, pending the completion of the Ward's official affairs. Consider this as me giving you time to prepare better. Over." The Stalker then haves a dramatic sigh before pulling out a weather-beaten tablet device, opening a map that reveals the new release date before grumbling: "Really? Again?"

Stalker 2 story details

The Stalker 2 story will take you to the Heart of Chornobyl – deep within the dangerous Exclusion Zone. This game is a sequel to the events of the original Stalker trilogy, although developer GSC Game World has said that no prior knowledge of the series is necessary to enjoy and understand Heart of Chornobyl. While details are light right now, we know that we'll be playing as a character named Skif, and that our actions will have both short-term consequences and global outcomes on Stalker 2's non-linear narrative.

Stalker 2 setting explained

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is set within the dangerous territories of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. You should expect to see familiar locations such as Cordon and Pripyat and new locations such Duga, although GSC has teased that there will be "hundreds of other familiar and new locations will be up for exploration." The studio is yet to confirm whether areas such as Limansk, Zaton, Yanov, and Kopachy from Stalker: Call of Pripyat (2008) and Stalker: Clear Sky (2010) will return.

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What we do know is that Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl will feature a fully seamless open world for the first time in the series' history – expansive areas were split between specific access points in the original trilogy. GSC believes it is "one of the biggest open worlds in video games to date", with more than 60 square kilometers of space to survive. As a result of the expansive Chornobyl Exclusion Zone created here, the studio says it'll take "more than 100 hours of gameplay to explore its secrets."

Stalker 2 Gameplay

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl will be part large-scale first-person shooter and part intricately designed immersive sim, and the results look impressive. While GSC Game World is yet to give us the opportunity to go hands-on, we have been able to get a good sense of what to expect from the Stalker 2 gameplay trailers and comments from the studio. Firstly though, it's worth focusing on the survival aspect – because staying alive in the Zone isn't supposed to be easy.

Stalker 2 will include a full day-night cycle, and dynamic weather to ensure the world continues to shift around you. You'll need to mitigate this while keeping on-top of survival mechanics like hunger, sleeping, bleeding, radiation effects, and as you attempt to detect and circumvent the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone's Anomalies.

GSC Game World says that it has prepared a total overhaul of its A-LIFE system too, with A-Life 2.0 designed to simulate life in the Zone in as realistic a way as possible. In most open world games, life exists within the player's field-of-view. With Stalker 2, the studio is promising that Factions and Mutants will be fighting for "living space, migrating, capturing new places, or retreating to safer areas" – meaning that, in theory, no one route through the Zone will ever be the same.

Stalker 2 combat and AI

If you can survive the elements, you'll then have to go up against a large variety of Mutants (lengthy exposure to radiation is never wise) and Factions of other human S.T.A.L.K.E.R.S. who have entered the area looking to recover valuable artifacts and sell them to the highest bidder beyond the borders of the Zone. You can even spot one of those artifacts in the Stalker 2 reveal trailer, where 'Jelly' can be seen located in the swamps – a mysterious property that's said to have a regenerative effect on stamina.

GSC appears to be really expanding upon the strong first-person shooter foundations that were put down for the original trilogy. The studio is promising aggressive, intuitive AI that will push your tactics at every opportunity, as well as over 30 weapon types – each with its own set of modifications. Skif will be able to install some of the weapons mods out in the world or even while in combat – such as the silencer or a scope – although "more complex and advanced upgrades will be available only through a technician."

Stalker 2 will feature new Anomalies, Factions, and Mutants

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl will be a blend of old and new. While this is a standalone sequel set in a modern world, it is building atop the foundations of the original game so expect to see some familiar faces and Factions – although given the pervasive danger of the Zone, it's hard to say who has survived over the years. The same can be said of the Mutants, many of which may be ostensibly recognizable but ultimately warped beyond recognition due to extended exposure to the Zone's litany of mysterious Anomalies and radioactive areas.

Speaking of Anomalies, we've only seen hints of what's to come so far. If you pay careful attention to the Stalker 2 trailer you'll likely spot returning gravitational anomalies 'Gravity' and 'Carousel', as well as an all new Anomaly Detector – the GILKA 01. If you're new to the Stalker games, or are yet to read Arkady and Boris Strugatsky's classic Roadside Picnic novel, you should expect to rely on unique detectors to help navigate areas of the Zone – if you're wondering why there's a few scenes with Skif throwing nuts and bolts in front of him, that'll be why.

Stalker 2 multiplayer

We know that many of you are wondering whether there will be Stalker 2 co-op or multiplayer support. While GSC Game World is yet to detail the functionality exactly, the studio has confirmed that "multiplayer will be added to the game with a free update" after Heart of Chornobyl releases in 2023.

Stalker 2 development

Stalker 2 has had a long and storied development. The project was actually first announced in 2010, with a release date of 2012, following the successful release of Stalker: Call of Pripyat. However, reported financial issues within developer GSC Game World ultimately led to the game being canceled in 2012 and the closure of the studio.

GSC reformed as an entity in 2014 to develop real-time strategy sequel Cossacks 3. Four years later, the studio announced that Stalker 2 was being put into production on Unreal Engine 4. Little other information was shared in the years between 2018 and 2021, beside the occasional in-engine teaser, before Stalker 2 was given a full reveal at the Microsoft and Bethesda E3 2021 conference, which is where GSC confirmed that development had moved to Unreal Engine 5 and that it was targeting an April 28, 2022 release date.

Stalker 2 delays and name change

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl was originally supposed to launch April 28, 2022, although it later became one of the more notable video game delays of the year. In January 2022 it was announced that GSC Game World had delayed the game until December in an effort to "fulfill our vision and achieve the desired state of the game."

However on March 2, GSC was forced to delay development indefinitely, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine – the studio is based in Kyiv, and many of its employees joined the war effort. During this pause, GSC changed the spelling of Stalker 2's subtitle to 'Heart of Chornobyl' from 'Heart of Chernobyl', which reflected the difference between the Ukrainian and Russian spelling of the infamous power plant near the city of Pripyat.

Development of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl was resumed in May 2022, with GSC noting on Discord that "the work is in progress." A month later, in June, the studio released a development diary as part of the Xbox and Bethesda E3 2022 showcase explaining that while some of Stalker 2's development would continue in Kyiv, "much of the game’s development will take place" in a new office established in Prague. As part of this announcement, Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl was given a 2023 release date. This turned out to be another miss, however, and we now know to expect Stalker 2's launch to come on November 20 2024 following the latest delay.

Stalker 2 system requirements

Stalker 2 minimum system requirements

OS Version: Windows 10 / Windows 11
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 1600X / Intel Core i5-7600K
Memory: 8 GB
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
Disc space: 150 GB SSD

Stalker 2 recommended system requirements

OS Version: Windows 10 / Windows 11
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X / Intel Core i7-9700K
Memory: 16 GB
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 8GB / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB
Disc space: 150 GB SSD

What does S.T.A.L.K.E.R. stand for?

While the internet will commonly refer to the game as 'Stalker 2', the proper spelling is actually S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. It's a backronym for Scavengers, Trespassers, Adventurers, Loners, Killers, Explorers, and Robbers. You're welcome.

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