The first major story expansion for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl arrives alongside free Update 2.0.
KYIV, UKRAINE — July 27, 2026 — GSC Game World today announced that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope, the first major expansion for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, is coming to PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 on August 20, 2026.
The longstanding conflict between the Zone’s leading factions — Duty and Freedom — takes a dramatic turn. As tensions rise and the fragile peace between them begins to unravel, the fate of the Zone hangs in the balance.
In Cost of Hope, players once again step into the role of Skif — the protagonist of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl — as a mysterious PDA signal draws him into events unfolding alongside the main game’s story. Explore uncharted locations, encounter unexpected allies and enemies, discover powerful weapons, and experience a gripping new story. With dozens of hours of content, your choices will shape the future of the Zone in this major new chapter of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. saga.
Launching in line with Cost of Hope on August 20, GSC will also release the massive Update 2.0 for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Alongside the upgrade to a new version of Unreal Engine 5, the update will bring a variety of new content and improvements. It will be available free of charge to all owners of the game.Â
In the coming weeks, GSC will share more on both Cost of Hope and Update 2.0 for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Stay tuned to official channels for more news.
Meanwhile, you can wishlist Cost of Hope on the following platforms:
PC:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3765020/STALKER_2_Cost_of_Hope/
https://www.gog.com/en/game/stalker_2_cost_of_hope
https://store.epicgames.com/p/stalker-2-heart-of-chornobyl–cost-of-hope
Xbox/Microsoft Store:
https://www.microsoft.com/store/productid/9mxv6p2fnddc
PlayStation 5:
https://www.playstation.com/games/stalker-2-heart-of-chornobyl/
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and Cost of Hope are being developed amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which is ongoing. GSC Game World continues to support its homeland in every possible way. For those who wish to contribute, we recommend visiting the official charity fund of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy:
https://u24.gov.ua/
About GSC Game World
Founded in 1995, GSC Game World is a Ukrainian video game developer known for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Cossacks series. The studio is dedicated to delivering exceptional gaming experiences and recently released S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Its next release is S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope — the first story expansion for the base game.
