You’ll have to wait just a little longer for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

By Carli Velocci Published July 25, 2024

A Stalker from Stalker 2 looks off in the distance with a radioactive symbol behind him. — GSC Game World

Upcoming survival game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl has been delayed yet again, but unlike some of its other delays, it’s only by around two months. Developer GSC Game World posted a video and statement on Thursday saying the game’s release, which was previously set for September 5, will now be November 20. It wrote that the developers want to take the time to fix some bugs (or “anomalies,” as it calls them).

The video, posted on YouTube and X (formerly Twitter), says the zone will remain “out of bounds” until that date. The player character then opens their table to see the new date. “Really?” they say. “Again?”

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The developer also announced that fans will be getting more S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 details on August 12 in a developer deep dive. It’ll feature new footage, a full quest walkthrough, and interviews, which is more than what we’ve gotten throughout the game’s development cycle. There have been numerous trailers and music spotlighted, along with a dev diary, but a lot of the game still remains a mystery.

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— S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) July 25, 2024

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has had a long road to completion. An earlier version was initially supposed to release in 2012, but it resurfaced in 2018, and was publicly shown off in 2021. By then it was set for 2022, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where GSC Game World is based, affected development.

In an intense dev diary released in June 2022, developers highlighted how their lives were upended by the war, with some displaced from their homes while others volunteered or joined the armed forces. Development was eventually moved to Prague in the Czech Republic.

GSC settled on the September 5 date after another delay, noting that the team “still witnessed the certain amount of technical imperfections that hold S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 below the expected standards for the final experience our fans are waiting for.”

Based on Digital Trends’ Summer Game Fest preview, it seems like it’ll be worth the wait. From our short playtime, it looks like a tense survival game with a clear, unique vision. The game is an Xbox console exclusive, and will be launching on Xbox Series X/S, PC, and will be available on Xbox Game Pass.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Carli is a technology, culture, and games editor and journalist. They were the Gaming Lead and Copy Chief at Windows Central…

Gaming

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Gamescom trailer confirms delay, but looks fantastic

A Stalker from Stalker 2 looks off in the distance with a radioactive symbol behind him.

At Gamescom 2023, Ukrainian game developer GSC Game World gave another update on its highly anticipated first-person shooter horror game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. It did push the game back until next year, but we also got our best look yet at gameplay in a new trailer.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl — Bolts & Bullets Trailer
The trailer begins with the player emerging from a sewer into the game's irradiated wasteland. We see the player slowly move around a few different environments before shooting at a supernatural enemy in a facility. The trailer only gets more intense from there as we see the player kit out their gun before taking on a variety of enemies, from humans to dogs to more disgusting-looking supernatural enemies. At the end of the trailer, we learn that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will now launch in the first quarter of 2024 and that preorders are finally open.
This long-awaited sequel to a PC cult classic has had a very turbulent development. It was originally supposed to be released in April 2022, but has gotten delayed multiple times due to development challenges and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Some of its developers are fighting with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, while others moved to the Czech Republic to finish the game. On top of all of that, GSC Game World has faced multiple cyberattacks and game leaks it attributes to Russia.

Despite all of the challenges GSC Game World has faced in the development of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, the game seems to be shaping up nicely. This new trailer is full of intense action and very atmospheric moments, and previews from people playing the game at Gamescom 2023 are positive. Hopefully, GSC Game World can take this positive momentum and meet its new release window.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will launch sometime in the first quarter of 2024 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

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You can’t play Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox, but you can play these 6 Game Pass RPGs

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Baldur's Gate 3 just launched on PC on August 3 and comes to PlayStation 5 shortly on September 6. Unfortunately, an Xbox Series X/S version of the RPG does not have any concrete release date. Developer Larian Studios explained in a community post that this is because it doesn't "want to compromise on quality and feel it would be a shame to downscale to 30 [frames per second, aka fps] or make other compromises to hit an arbitrary date." Still, it's disappointing that Xbox players can't get in on the fun anytime soon. Thankfully, there isn't a shortage of alternatives on Microsoft's gaming platforms.
Xbox Game Pass is home to dozens of RPGs, many of which share the same computer-RPG roots as Baldur's Gate 3. While Xbox players might not be able to enjoy Larian Studios' shockingly thorough and immensely enjoyable Dungeons & Dragons CRPG just yet, they can't go wrong playing these six titles right now.
Fallout: New Vegas

Where Baldur's Gate 3 may be the pinnacle of fantasy RPG games inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, Fallout: New Vegas is that for postapocalyptic RPGs. This game from Obsidian Entertainment and Bethesda Softworks -- both of which are now owned by Microsoft -- first released in 2010. Despite some in-game glitches that still persist, the Xbox 360 version of Fallout: New Vegas on Xbox Game Pass is just as enthralling of a role-playing experience as it was nearly 13 years ago. The Xbox 360 version can even be played at 60 fps on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, thanks to the FPS Boost feature.
Like Baldur's Gate 3, it's a faithful follow-up to some classic CRPGs that give players a massive amount of choice as they complete their adventure however they see fit. You can have endless fun exploring the world and creating experiences that feel personal to you while dealing with its eclectic cast of factions and characters. While it's a bit rough around the edges in certain aspects, New Vegas is still one of the best RPGs ever made. As such, it's worth replaying or trying first the first time if you want to play an RPG, but can't experience Baldur's Gate 3 right now.
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Goat Simulator 3’s sandbox is 18 times larger than its predecessor’s

Goats fall from the sky.

It takes more than just a bit of confidence for a game as silly as Goat Simulator to casually jump from its first installment all the way to a second sequel. As such, it’s safe to conclude the nonexistent Goat Simulator 2 was, indeed, all the friends we licked along the way. Still, we’re looking forward to Goat Simulator 3, which is, as the name would suggest, all about goats -- and the wacky things they do when given gravity beams and a license to chill.

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