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Press release:
KYIV, UKRAINE — August 20, 2026 – GSC Game World is pleased to share S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope launches today on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.

Step into a new journey through the Zone — a massive nonlinear expansion offering dozens of hours of gameplay. Discover haunting stories, twisted characters, and the familiar atmosphere of decay… where even the darkest moments leave room for a flicker of hope.

It’s time to step into a new chapter of a well-known conflict. Duty, one of the Zone’s oldest factions, sees it as a threat that must be contained and ultimately destroyed. On the other side, Freedom believes it’s a gift — something to explore and harness for the greater good. For a time, this tension was held together by a fragile peace. But deals like that rarely last.

In Cost of Hope, players once again take on the role of Skif, the protagonist of the base game, as he navigates events unfolding alongside Heart of Chornobyl. Explore the iconic Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the maze-like paths of the Iron Forest — and discover new locations beyond your knowledge. New weapons and gear give Skif a fighting chance against mutants, anomalies, and other dangers lurking in the Zone.

“Throughout the Cost of Hope development, we allowed ourselves to experiment more. To take risks. To surprise. Sometimes that meant trying things we’d never attempted before. Sometimes it meant making bold creative decisions simply because we believed they would make the experience more memorable. Above all, we wanted to create something that would genuinely excite long-time fans of the series. We can’t wait to hear what you think,” said Ievgen Grygorovych, Game Director and CEO of GSC Game World.

“For us, the release of this DLC is proof that even in the most difficult times, Ukrainians continue to create, work and deliver great games, and even the full-scale war has not been able to put the development of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe on hold. We have done everything we could to bring this story to the world, because the game gives us a unique opportunity to reach millions of people around the globe and tell them about Ukraine: its strength, talent, culture, identity and resilience,” said Max Krippa, Owner of GSC Game World.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope is available as a part of the Ultimate Edition of the game or a standalone purchase for 29.99 USD/EUR (subject to regional pricing).

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/

Alongside the long-awaited Cost of Hope release, Update 2.0 for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is now live on all platforms — free for every owner of the game. It upgrades the game to Unreal Engine 5.5.4, bringing the biggest overhaul to how the Zone looks, feels, and lives since launch. With the lighting overhaul, AI improvements, three types of binoculars, new weapons and attachments, highly customizable difficulty settings, and much more, the unique evolution of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 since its original release shines brighter than ever.

You can follow S.T.A.L.K.E.R.’s official social media channels for up-to-date news and updates:

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The war in Ukraine continues. GSC Game World continues to support our country in every possible way. If you’d like to help, consider donating via the official 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 with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl being the most well-known now. The studio has just released S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope — the first story expansion for the base game.