STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, the new installment from GSC Game World, showcased its latest trailer on the official YouTube channel. The video, running about half a minute, opens with a small gathering around a crackling fire. A guitarist strums a tune while the game’s lone hero settles in for a quiet moment over tea. As the trailer closes, the studio communicates a release window, initially pegged for September 5, 2024. Earlier communications had hinted at a shifting schedule, with promises at the end of December that the game would arrive in the first quarter of 2024. These evolving dates reflect the studio’s ongoing efforts to refine the game and its release strategy.
Prior to that, GSC Game World released a new story trailer for STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl. The trailer emphasizes first-person action intertwined with role-playing elements, underscoring the series’ hallmark blend of exploration, atmosphere, and narrative depth.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is set within the post-apocalyptic exclusion zone surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The narrative centers on a solitary stalker known as Skif, whose journey unfolds many years after the events depicted in STALKER: Call of Pripyat. This setup promises a continuation of the series’ tense, atmospheric survival experience while expanding its lore and character arcs.
The game is planned for release on PC through Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG, with additional availability on Xbox Series X and S. The multi-platform approach reflects the franchise’s long-standing aim to reach a broad audience across PC and console ecosystems.
Industry sources have suggested that GSC Game World may not be able to remove the Russian language entirely from STALKER 2, given the studio’s roots and regional development context. This discussion has sparked conversations about localization strategies, accessibility, and audience expectations across diverse markets.