Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is out now, but it seems players should expect a bumpy ride, as even its developer is warning that it is “rough around the edges.”
In a heartfelt message posted to social media, Ukrainian developer GSC Game World said the 15-years-later sequel, developed during Russia’s ongoing invasion, is a “love letter to Ukraine” and a “project of endless love and passion” from the team. However, GSC also didn’t sugar coat the state of the game at launch.
A message from the GSC Game World Team.
Before you step into the Zone, we’d like to take a moment to share something from the heart. pic.twitter.com/wuLRAkq7Ba— S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) November 20, 2024
“Stalker 2 is a massive game,” GSC Game World said in its statement. “We understand that in such a game, there may still be rough edges: we literally haven’t released anything of this scale before.”
Numerous reviews, including GameSpot’s Stalker 2 review, took notice of the game’s technical problems, reporting numerous visual bugs and frequent crashes. GameSpot reviewer Richard Wakeling said the game’s “torrent of technical issues” ultimately hampers the game’s oppressive atmosphere. The first-person shooter combines elements of military sims and survival horror, as players attempt to survive a Chornobyl exclusion zone filled with mutants, hostile humans, and strange anomalies.
GSC Game World, for its part, said it’s committed to the game and making improvements.
“We’re absolutely committed to being here, monitoring your feedback, and quickly fixing any issues that need our attention,” GSC said in its statement. “In the first days after release, we’ll be working with hotfixes, rolling them out as precisely as possible, but as frequently as we can.”
Larger updates and additional improvements will come over time, GSC said, which will include free in-game content. A content roadmap for Stalker 2 will be revealed in December.
“We have big plans for the Stalker universe,” GSC said. “In a way, today is both a return and the beginning of a grand new journey.”
Stalker 2 is available on Xbox Series X|S and PC, where it’s also available via Game Pass.