It’s been one year since STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl debuted on PC and Xbox Series S and X, marking the end of a long and troubled development phase that saw developer GSC Game World facing numerous challenges, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, to reach completion.
In my review of the game, I rated it 8 out of 10, praising its ambitious features but also noting that it was rough and needed refinements as well as balancing tweaks. The developer has indeed released several major updates over these past fifty-two weeks, the last of which went live this week, significantly improving the A-Life system, adding new difficulty modes and many other improvements.
Tomorrow, the game is also set to debut on Sony’s PlayStation 5 consoles, now that the timed Xbox console exclusivity deal with Microsoft has expired. We sent a few questions to GSC Game World to discuss this new version of STALKER 2, as well as inquire about the state of promised post-launch features and content, such as DLCs, cross-platform mods, and multiplayer. The answers were kindly provided by Communications Director Zakhar Bocharov and Technical Director Ievgen Kulyk.
One year after the game’s launch, how do you feel about STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl? Has it achieved what you were aiming for, both in terms of quality and sales?
Zakhar: We’ll strive to be as objective as possible. One million copies sold in under three days and several million players through Game Pass on PC and Xbox can undoubtedly be considered successful figures. Over the year, the game received 7 major updates — and far more smaller ones — which not only improved performance but also added new content. The game is now significantly different from what it was at launch. Updates are a complex matter. In the world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., they could probably go on forever, much like the pursuit of perfection. Nevertheless, they will continue forward on.
I have noticed that you added gyro aiming through the controller’s motion sensor on PlayStation 5. Do you believe this is a legitimate alternative to the regular method in terms of accuracy and comfort?
Ievgen: This can be done on PS5, and it will add comfort for many players — so we’re doing it. Preferences for a specific control method are 100% a matter of taste, but in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, you can play with gamepads on PC, and with keyboard and mouse on consoles — if that’s your desire.
Out of all the features enabled with the DualSense controller, which one do you feel is the most fitting addition to STALKER 2?
Zakhar: The technical team loves the gamepad radio chatter and the gyro aiming the most. To my taste, haptic feedback works great — this PS5 feature still feels fresh to me in many games, including ours. In any case, literally all DualSense and PS5 features work to multiply immersion in an immersive game — and that means they’re right on point.
How long did it take you to develop the enhancements for the PS5 Pro version? Could you please share the rendering resolution/frame rate options, as well as whether you are using PSSR?
Ievgen: PS5 Pro improvements were in the same scope as the development for the platform in general — just the power of this specific console allows for graphical enhancements. Below are our targets in terms of performance:
Base PS5
- Performance: 2K 60 FPS
- Quality: 4K 30 FPS
PS5 Pro
- Performance: 4K 60 FPS
- Quality: 4K 30 FPS
We don’t use PSSR — only UE5-integrated TSR.
Would it be fair to compare the PS5 Pro version to PC’s High settings? If not, what are the differences?
Zakhar: Console optimization is a bit more complex and specific than just porting over PC presets. It’s hard to answer the question 100% precisely, but the PS5 Pro version is definitely leaning towards PC High settings. I think comparison videos between platforms are just a matter of time, so you’ll be able to form your own opinion.
Will the DualSense features, such as speaker support, gyro aiming, haptic feedback, and adaptive triggers, also be available on PC when using this controller?
Ievgen: Yes, starting with update 1.7.
In your roadmap, you’ve announced an upgrade to a newer version of Unreal Engine 5. When will this be available, and what kind of performance improvements do you anticipate?
Zakhar: Switching to a new version of Unreal Engine 5 is a very big task, which is exactly why even in our roadmap we especially noted that we cannot guarantee the exact timing. It should bring a significant boost to optimization overall, but we will keep you updated on the timing of this update through our socials. But here I would like to note that update 1.7 has already delivered a significant and very noticeable optimization gain, and it is available right now.
The roadmap also listed new missions. What can you tell us about those?
Zakhar: This update is quite close, so the answer might end up being more of a spoiler.
Are you still planning to deliver a multiplayer mode at some point? If so, could you share any information about how it would work?
Zakhar: I have no updates on multiplayer right now.
Beyond multiplayer, you also mentioned cross-platform mods and hardware-accelerated ray tracing as two things you were working on post-launch. Do you have any updates to share on that front?
Zakhar: There are no new details right now, but we’ll share them on our social media as soon as we’re ready.
Can we expect the first of the planned STALKER 2 DLCs to be released at some point next year?
Zakhar: Yes.
Thank you for your time.
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