As STALKER 2 is set to arrive on PS5, the developers thank Xbox for helping support the game — "A match happened that ultimately made millions of players happy"

While GSC Game World's survival-shooter STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl recently left Xbox Game Pass, the developers have marked the occasion with a message of thanks to the team at Xbox.

"This one started with a single email and grew into one of the most glowing partnerships we've ever had. A match happened that ultimately made millions of players happy," the STALKER 2 team shared on X (formerly Twitter).

"We've said this many times, but we are genuinely grateful to the @Xbox team for all the collaboration, incredible showcases, heartfelt care, and amazing professionalism. Your hand of support could always be felt, even in the darkest moments. Together, we gave players an unforgettable experience. We are sincerely proud of what we've achieved together. This road without you would have been, at the very least, completely different."

While STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl was announced to be coming to Xbox Series X|S consoles alongside PC all the way back in 2021, the game's development was delayed by numerous factors, with the studio heavily impacted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Many members of the studio have fought in defense of their homes, and GSC Game World even partnered with Xbox to share accounts of the war during a 2022 showcase, taking a look at exactly how it had shaken up their lives.

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl eventually launched in November 2024, and the team has continued to provide numerous updates since, fixing innumerable bugs and adjusting the game's systems in response to player feedback.

STALKER 2 is continuing to get even better

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is slated to launch on PlayStation 5 on November 20, with the developers keeping to the feature and update roadmap that was shared earlier in the year.

The game just recently received one of its biggest updates yet, with huge improvements in particular for the A-Life system. The A-Life is responsible for NPC (non-player character) behavior, and is a huge reason for the popularity of the games, as it can drive completely unexpected reactions and interactions that throw even experienced players for a loop.

While I played a fair bit of STALKER 2 at launch, I did put the game down in order to wait for more patches, and it's clearly a vastly improved experience now. I quite naively hoped I'd have time to play more in September, but that didn't work out. I'm hoping to find some time to dive into it again over the holidays, with a bit more optimism around that timing.

Looking ahead, there's still more to come to the Zone, with two planned expansions for STALKER 2 that are slated to arrive at some point in the future. The developers also previously indicated that a free multiplayer mode was in the works, though there aren't many details on what to expect.

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STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl: was $59.99 now $42.12 at Amazon

Despite a few issues with gameplay balance, STALKER 2 stands tall as a triumph for GSC Game World. Frequent updates have improved the experience, and it's set to continue growing through future expansions.

Xbox version: Xbox
PC version: GOG | Game Legends
PS5 preorder: Amazon

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