During the Xbox Partner Preview, GSC Game World has announced a new expansion for Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, titled Stalker 2: Cost of Hope. It will release in summer 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.
“S.T.A.L.K.E.R. at its core is about humans and their perceptions, so we’re heading into a new chapter of a conflict long familiar to fans. The factions of Duty and Freedom – enemies in the past – are now tied together by the D4 Treaty, a pact signed by every group in the Zone before the events of Heart of Chornobyl.
Duty are the ones who see the Zone as a danger to humanity. Their goal is simple: destroy that danger and protect humankind from the unknown. Freedom see things differently. For them, the Zone is a gift – something humanity should explore and learn to use for the greater good. For a time, this difference in views was held together by a fragile peace treaty. But agreements like that rarely keep conflicts of this scale in balance for long. Or do they?”
The expansion will take dozens of hours to complete, and feature a new protagonist named Skif. The events of the expansion take place parallel to the main story. After installing it, you’ll get a prompt at some point in the story which lets you start the expansion. This expansion features two new regions, Iron Forest and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Check out the trailer for Stalker 2: Cost of Hope below:
Lastly, Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
