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

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. 

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