Stalker 2 release date pushed to the end of 2022
“We are convinced that development should take as long as necessary”
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl developer, GSC Game World, has announced that the game’s release date has been pushed from April 2022 until the end of the year.
The announcement was made in a statement posted by the game’s official Twitter account in which GSC Game World confirmed that Stalker 2 will now release on December 8 2022, rather than April 28 as originally expected.
According to GSC Game World, “this decision was not an easy one” but the “additional seven months of development are needed to fulfil our vision and achieve the desired state of the game.“
pic.twitter.com/E4bdKVmzxVJanuary 12, 2022
The statement goes on to explain that Stalker 2 “is the biggest project in the history of GSC, and it requires thorough testing and polishing. We are convinced that development should take as long as necessary, especially in the case of such a project.“ The development studio hopes that the delay will allow them to deliver “a game that can live up to the expectations.”
Though Stalker fans now have to wait a little longer for the game, the statement closes out with a promise of “more information, updates and showcases” through the rest of the year.
When Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl releases on December 8 2022, it’ll be playable on PC and as an Xbox console exclusive onXbox Series X/S, with day one availability onXbox Game Passtoo.
Analysis: More time to get it right
Right now, delay announcements aren’t really all that surprising. Over the past year we’ve seen some big titles get pushed forward. Some, likeElden Ringhave been moved by a few months while others, likeFinal Fantasy XVI, havereceived larger delays. Another Xbox console exclusive, Scorn,recently saw its release date pushedto the second half of 2022 as well. With the pandemic causing complications for many studios around the world, delays are almost to be expected at this point.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Admittedly, Stalker fans have been waiting for this one for a while so there may be some disappointment around the announcement. Plans for Stalker 2 were originally announced in 2010 before it was cancelled in 2012. The name resurfaced with adevelopment announcement back in 2018and in 2021 we started to see some solid details on it. Those details includeits system requirements for PC, which ask you to set aside a fairly large chunk of space on your SSD.
Still, having waited this long, waiting a few months longer to get a game that’s thoroughly polished seems doable. It makes sense that GSC World wants to make sure it gets this one absolutely right, particularly after the recent backlash against the studio’s plans to include NFTs in the game and itssubsequent cancellation of those plans.
As it is, there are plenty of other games coming through this year to tide us over while we wait, with big titlesElden RingandDying Light 2releasing next month alone.
Emma Boyle is TechRadar’s ex-Gaming Editor, and is now a content developer and freelance journalist. She has written for magazines and websites including T3, Stuff and The Independent. Emma currently works as a Content Developer in Edinburgh.
NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Sunday, November 10 (game #518)
Herman Miller Aeron gaming chair review: premium, highly customizable comfort
5 must-have Android apps
