When is the Stalker 2 release date? After more than a decade since the last game, the excitement for Stalker 2 Heart of Chornobyl is higher than ever and the support for Ukrainian studio GSC Game World is even higher still. But, despite delays, what have we seen from the studio and what is the latest on the game ahead of Stalker 2?
Originally unveiled at the Xbox Series X|S gameplay showcase, Stalker 2 is one of the most highly anticipated FPS games and a big premiere title for Xbox with a Stalker 2 Heart of Chornobyl Game Pass launch planned. Despite a few delays, we hope the game will release and join our best Xbox survival games list, but if you’re wondering when it will launch, here’s everything we know.
Stalker 2 release date window
Stalker 2 Heart of Chornobyl’s release date is set for December 2023 on PC and Xbox Series X|S, according to the game’s Steam page. Originally, the game was set to be released in 2022 but, with the developer being based in Ukraine, it was delayed due to the ongoing war in the country.
However, the studio is continuing to work on the game to ship it in 2023, in between defending their country. The game is a current-gen-only release so don’t expect to be able to play it on Xbox One. We hope that it will be available on xCloud for those on past-gen consoles though.
Most excitingly, GSC Game World has also announced that Stalker 2 will be at the Xbox Gamescom 2023 showcase among many other games. This means we can expect to see new gameplay as well as a solid Stalker 2 release date to be revealed, though we’ll have to wait for the showcase for the specifics. Nevertheless, the release date puts the 16-year long anticipation for the sequel in the prime real estate for the holiday period.
Stalker 2 gameplay
Stalker 2 is an open world game with a non-linear branching narrative set in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, an area plagued by mutated creatures and factions vying for control. With these horrifying mutants in play, Stalker 2 blends elements of horror into an FPS immersive sim, so expect some intense gameplay. There’s even survival mechanics like hunger, sleeping, bleeding, radiation effects.
We have seen quite a bit of gameplay at this point for Stalker 2. The first gameplay came during E3 2021 which showcased the stunning quality and visuals being put into the shooter.
Since then, however, we have seen a lot more of the deeper survival systems at play, including dialogue, confrontations, equipment, inventory management, combat, and more during a trailer in December 2022.
We also got to see the intro to the game earlier in 2022 which gave us a glimpse of how Stalker 2 Heart of Chornobyl begins, and it’s just as bleak as you might imagine.
With the cult following around the original game, many are hoping the long wait will be worth it and for it to be among the best games of all time. It’s safe to say that Stalker 2 Heart of Chornobyl is looking like a stellar improvement over the first game so far.
Stalker 2 Heart of Chornobyl story
Set in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone after the second explosion in 2006, violent mutants and ready anomalies roam alongside warring factions that try to survive. Seeking to make a fortune out of the artifacts in the zone, you enter the zone and find your own destiny as you explore a branching, expansive story.
Told in a non-linear fashion, you will meet a variety of people, engage in conflicts, and deal with your own, all while trying to survive. You even find out the truth concealed in Chornobyl as well.
That covers everything we know about the highly anticipated new game ahead of the Stalker 2 Heart of Chornobyl release date. With the game being a day one Game Pass release, you can expect to jump in through the service. And, while you wait you can check out some of the best Xbox Series X games and all the Game Pass games currently on the subscription service.
If you want to support the developers of Stalker 2 and Ukraine’s citizens, you can donate to United24, a charitable fund set up by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine. The link to donate can be found here.
