With the announcement made by GSC Game World, fans are eager to know about the game Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl, the sequel to Stalker 1: Shadow of Chernobyl. The game is set to launch in 2022 and there are some things are known to be rumors and some are factual on the internet. Many people are eager to know the little details about the game, so today we will talk about everything we know about Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl.

Release Date

As much as the hype is growing day by day, fans are eager to know the release date of Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl. The game’s initial launch was expected to be on April 28th, 2022. However, there were rumors of Stalker 2 being launched later this year in recent days. While as of now, there is news of a release date that is said to be December 8th, 2022 for Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam and Epic Games.

**Will Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl Playable for Free**

Once the Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl is launched, it will be played initially on Xbox Series X|S and PC. However, you will need to have a game pass. Game pass is a service provider which enables you to play over 100s of games. To own a game pass, you need to buy their monthly subscription. However, once Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl is launched after 3 months, it will be available on Epic Games.

Story of Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl

The story of Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl players revolves around the playable character Skif. Skif is a stalker and an illegal scavenger who is up on a mission outside Chernobyl. The area is highly radioactive and is called a Zone. The zone is a wasteland and a home to many mutants and anomalies that are lethal to the lives of brave ones that are living there. The mission of Skif is to find the mysterious artifacts that will help him seek out the truth behind the cause of anomalies, mutants, and the mysterious power of the zone. According to eXputer, Stalker 2 will also feature an open world. More on that below via source.

Open World

Every gamer enjoys a free and open-world game. It allows them to explore the world with free will and enjoy time quality. However, in other cases, the players have to follow a linear pattern of missions and quests that, in return, ends the primary mission of the game in a matter of days. Subsequently, Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl is an open-world game in which players will be able to explore the game at their own pace. You will explore the world to seek new quests and artifacts.

Number of Missions and Side Quests

Though the number of missions and side quests is yet to be reported by GSC gaming, Zakar Botrov, GSC PR manager, has claimed that players will need 100s of hours to mainline the primary mission and side quests but still will be unable to complete all the side quests. We can assume the number of missions and quests. Moreover, according to the statement, it can be said that the game will be very long and exciting for players to enjoy fully.

Mutants

Because Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl is an open-world game. The vast world would require quality time to explore. Subsequently, if you are prone to explore each and every bit of the world while traveling, you will have to watch your back all the time. The zone will be full of mutants that can be very lethal. Subsequently, looking at the trailer of Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl, these zombies can appear out of nowhere. These zombies can disappear and emerge from your eyes, so you will need to be very careful.

Anomalies

Between Anomaly and Bullet, I’d rather choose the latter. These are the words of Skif, the playable character in Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl. The anomaly can be described as a fluctuating energy peculiar substance with an abnormal shape. These Anomalies are lethal, and we can see in the trailer that they can burst you into pieces. Moreover, in the trailer, Skif uses a device to track down an anomaly and then throw a bolt toward it. Understandingly, Bolt is a non-living object, and it can be assumed that anomalies are only lethal to living entities. However, we do not have the complete details, and they will be known once the game is launched.

A Life 2.0

A life 2.0 is a new system in Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl. The main task of A Life 2.0 is to keep the environment lively. Ultimately, the game will control the behavior of mutants and anomalies, making the zone ever-changing. Understandingly, A life 2.0 is an addition that will give Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl a realistic approach. To be sure, players enjoy realistic games however A life 2.0 can change the whole fate of the game. It will be hazardous at all times. Death can occur at any moment, and there will be chances of accidents or incidents. Subsequently, with A life 2.0, every player will have a unique experience. According to the official statement by GSC gaming, the decisions you make will not only affect short-term events but the world.

Campfire

Previously we have seen Campfire in Stalker Call of Pripyat with the help of a mod by Stalker Guru known as Harsh Zone. With the launch of Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl, it is evident in the trailer that we will experience and share Campfire with other Stalkers however it is uncertain how much we are going to see the Campfire. Moreover, It is quite charming that GSC gaming took notes from the gamers who enjoyed the mod in the previous version of the game.

Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl Editions

Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl will be launched in 3 different editions. These editions include Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition, and Ultimate Edition. Subsequently, the standard edition will consist of the base story of the game with no extra quests whatsoever. Consequently, if you are a fan of the Stalker game series, you may purchase the Deluxe or Ultimate edition, which consists of additional quests, Costumes, skins, and lastly, Story expansion in the Ultimate edition.

Through our research, we have also come to know that the Campfire content is expected much more in the Deluxe and Ultimate Edition compared to Standard Edition. It is still unclear whether the campfire plays a vital role in the story of Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl or not.

System Requirements for Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl

System requirements can be hectic when you have a mid-tier system. Every gamer wants to enjoy the game to the fullest. Therefore, with the launch of any new game, the developers let the gamers know the minimum and recommended system requirements. Understandingly, the minimum requirements are the specs that will run the game on low settings with lower fps. At the same time, the recommended requirements will run the game at a standard rate of FPS with standard settings. Furthermore, the minimum system requirements for Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl are below.

Operating System Version Windows 10 or Windows 11
Processor AMD Ryzen 5 1600x or Intel Core i5 7600k
RAM 8GB
Graphics Card AMD RX 580 8GB or GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
Storage 150GB SSD

You may have compatible specifications with those mentioned to run Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl on low settings. Moreover, the recommended specifications of Stalker 2 Heart of Chernobyl are given below.