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GSC Game World announces S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 DLC and major Update 2.0
GSC Game World has announced that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will receive its first major story expansion, ‘Cost of Hope’, alongside a substantial free ‘Update 2.0’ on August 20, 2026.
The ‘Cost of Hope’ DLC will be priced at €29.99 (or $29.99) and is included for owners of the Ultimate Edition. It introduces new non-linear story elements and expands the game world with previously inaccessible areas, including the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and the Iron Forest.
Update 2.0, titled ‘Back to the Zone’, is a free release for all players across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Key technical improvements include an engine upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.5.4, which will overhaul lighting, shadows, reflections, and foliage. The update also features significant gameplay changes to the A-Life system, new weapons such as the Arev assault rifle and GP3A marksman rifle, and new mechanics like functional fog that impacts visibility and hearing. Additionally, players will gain access to ‘Custom Rules’ to tailor difficulty settings.
Entities
GSC Game World · PC · PlayStation 5 · S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl · Unreal Engine · Unreal Engine 5
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Update 2. 0 is a free update for all existing owners of the game. cogconnected.com · www.italiatopgames.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The update adds four new weapons: the Arev assault rifle, GP3A and SKP designated marksman rifles, and the Fora-230 submachine gun. cogconnected.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The first major paid story expansion, titled Cost of Hope, launches on August 20. thegeek.games · cogconnected.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] GSC Game World will release Update 2. 0 for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl on August 20. thegeek.games · cogconnected.com · www.italiatopgames.it
- [● 2 SOURCES] Update 2. 0 migrates the game to a newer version of Unreal Engine 5. thegeek.games · www.italiatopgames.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Cost of Hope expansion costs $29.99/€29.99 or is included in the Ultimate Edition. cogconnected.com