- Release Date: 2023
- Developer: GSC Game World
- Publisher: GSC Game World
- Genres: First-person shooter, Survival horror, Action-adventure game
- Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
- Mode: Single-player video game
Will It be on PC?
Yes! The Stalker series has always been on PC, but Stalker 2 is also a “console launch exclusive” on Xbox. That’s a confusing phrase, but it doesn’t mean PC players will have to wait. It just means PlayStation owners will be out of luck. Stalker 2’s official site states the PC version will launch simultaneously with the Xbox version.
What is S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 about?
Not much about the story has been revealed, but the scenario sounds similar to that of the previous games. “Bounty hunters delve deep into the Zone, driven by its treasures and mysteries. Some of them are running from their past, others are blinded by money, and some are obsessed with finding the truth behind all the mysteries.”
The Story will be non-linear, and GSC says, “Your choices will influence both short term consequences and global outcomes.
How has S.T.A.L.K.E.R.2 been affected by the War?
GSC Game World is based in Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine. When Russia declared war on February 24, it was one of the first game development studios to speak out, with a statement that read, in part: “Our country woke up with the sounds of explosions and weapons fire, but is ready to defend its freedom and independence, for it remains strong and ready for anything. The future is unknown, but we hope for the best, are ever sure of our armed forces and our belief in Ukraine.”
In March, with the city under heavy bombardment and Russian troops massing outside it, GSC Game World paused development on Stalker 2. A video that had been intended to showcase the studio’s mocap work instead became a powerful statement, showing how priorities had shifted. “Now we are striving to help our employees and their families to survive”, it declared. “The game development shifted to the sidelines.”
During the subsequent pause, the spelling of Stalker 2’s subtitled was changed to Heart of Chornobyl, reflecting the Ukrainian rather than the Russian spelling of Chornobyl.
In late May, community representative Mol1t explained that development had resumed, saying on Discord that “it continues” and “the work is in progress.” A delay of S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 into 2023 was announced soon after, owing to the invasion’s continuing disruption.
GSC Game World released a dev diary video in June, which detailed how the war’s disruption of daily life in Ukraine has affected the studio. In the video, GSC devs show their makeshift workspaces, the regular interruptions from air raid sirens or needing to evacuate to bomb shelters, and their efforts as community volunteers and enlisted members of the Ukrainian armed forces.
Here’s the latest S.T.A.L.K.E.R.2 Trailer:
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