There will be a slight delay in the release of Stalker 2, which has been anticipated by fans for the better part of a decade. Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl’s release date has been pushed out until the end of the year, according to developer GwSC Game World, who made the announcement today through social media. Not only will this decision disappoint lifelong fans of the franchise, but it will also hurt Xbox’s roster for the first half of 2022.
GSC Game World said this in their Twitter statement-
It was announced on Twitter that Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl would premiere on December 8, 2022, by GSC Game World. According to the studio, the extra time spent on production will allow the game to be more refined in the end.
“These additional seven months of development are needed to fulfill our vision and achieve the desired state of the game. 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 team stated. “This decision is not an easy one, but we are doing the best possible to deliver you a game that can live up to the expectations.”
Stalker 2 is the logical next installment in the Stalker series, which has already seen three installments. The first game in the series, Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl, was a critical and commercial success in 2007. Clear Sky as well as Call of Pripyat were the next two.
The first Stalker was indeed a huge hit with players for a lot of good reasons, and Stalker 2 was revealed back in 2010 as well. Unfortunately, the title won’t be out until December of this year.
— S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) January 12, 2022
For many, Stalker is most known for the world it creates. Recreated a post-nuclear fallout world with all of the difficulties that one might encounter. At its heart, the game is a genuine sandbox with RPG and FPS aspects.
It’s impossible to foretell the future of the game, but one may expect GSC to retain the greatest aspects of their previous works. It’s important to remember that the initial development of the game was put on hold when GSC ran into financial difficulties.
GSC just announced a new build for Part 2 in 2018 after recovering financially. Since then, fans have been ecstatic but god these postponements!!
Stalker 2’s postponement is a blow to eager fans, but it’s also a blow to Microsoft’s Xbox One sales in the first half of the year, as previously indicated. A big exclusive for Xbox Series X was expected to arrive in the first half of 2022 with Stalker 2. Microsoft will remain the exclusive platform for the game, but the release date change means that the Xbox’s selection will be a little shorter in the following months.