STALKER 2 has been delayed until September 2024

STALKER 2: Heart of CHORNOBYL now has a finalised release date

GSC Game World has announced that STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl now has a new release date. Now, the highly anticipated first person shooter is due to launch on September 5th, and the company has released a new trailer for the game.

In a new statement on X, GSC Game World has confirmed that the game’s latest delay will give the studio time to polish their game. Simply put, the game has technical imperfections, and delaying the game will allow GSC Game World to fix these issues ahead of launch.

Originally, STALKER 2 was due to be released in 2022. The game was then delayed to 2023, and later delated to Q1 2024. Currently, the game is due to be released on PC and Xbox Series consoles. The PC version will be available though Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG.

Below is what GSC Game World had to say about Heart of Chornobyl’s delay.

Dear stalkers,

Last year, during Gamescom 2023, we finally had the chance to meet in person. We gathered around the campfire with you to share something valuable that we have been creating for you for all these years – a small part of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Publicly, for the first time ever.

Our one-time initiative then transformed into a journey from campfire to campfire across France, Brazil, Singapore and other countries. Thousands of players were able to play the game themselves and give us the much-needed feedback afterwards.

And as true friends always do, you shared your honest thoughts about the game. Both positive and negative, and we are thankful for that. From your insights, we figured out two key points: the one to celebrate and the one to consider seriously.

The first one: the Zone remains the Zone. In its true beauty and after our likeness. The game absolutely feels and plays like S.T.A.L.K.E.R, the atmosphere, hardcore style, harsh and unwelcoming environment are ready to cook, and we can’t be more grateful for these words, as they basically sum up both the key intention and the main inspiration for the project from the very beginning at the same time.

The second one was: the gear in the backpack should be checked one more time to be completely sure it will not fail us in the most needed moment. On the technical side of things – the game needs more time.

Throughout the frankly challenging development process, we understood the time was of the team’s main essence. Seeing the scope of polishing and understanding that we can’t push your patience too much, we were absolutely dedicated to releasing the game in Q1 2024, and we worked extra hard to meet the release window.

That, however, doesn’t change the fact that at the beginning of this year, we 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.

While there is absolutely no way to make another delay sound less dim, we decided to be clear about our reasons to postpone the game for the sake of yet another wave of polishing.

The final release date for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is now September 5, 2024.

We know that you are waiting for this moment, as well as we do. But the preparation needs to be done so that the journey into the Zone goes smoothly and as planned. Thanks for your patience and continuous support, and be ready to see a lot of info about the game further this year.

STALKER 2 is one of the most graphically impressive Unreal Engine 5 games to ever be showcased. The game is coming exclusively to modern gaming platforms with a mix of FPS gameplay and survival horror elements. The game takes place in the Chornobyl exclusion zone, boasting 64square kilometres of explorable areas. The zone is a post-apocalyptic environment with violent mutants, deadly anomalies, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s are those who entered the zone themselves to make their fortune inside or unravel the mysteries within.

You can join the discussion on STALKER 2’s finalised release date on the OC3D Forums.

Mark Campbell

A Northern Irish father, husband, and techie that works to turn tea and coffee into articles when he isn’t painting his extensive minis collection or using things to make other things.

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