Developer GSC Game World has announced that Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl has officially been delayed, with the game now set to release on December 8, 2022 for the Xbox Series X|S and PC.
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The decision was confirmed thanks to a new tweet sent out by the official Stalker Twitter account. In a message to fans, GSC Game World notes that the delay from its original April 28, 2022 release date will help the team “fulfill our vision and achieve the desired state of the game.”
“We have made a decision to postpone the release of Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl to December 8, 2022,” reads the message. “These additional seven months of development are needed to fulfill our vision and achieve the desired state of the game. Stalker 2 is the biggest project in the history of GSC, and it requires thorough testing and polishing. We are convinced that development should take as long as necessary, especially in the case of such a project.”
— S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) January 12, 2022
“This decision is not an easy one, but we are doing the best possible to deliver you a game that can live up to the expectations. With more information, updates and showcases coming, we have an exciting and important year ahead. Thank you for your patience and understanding. With love, GSC Game World team.”
Despite its initial planned release date, not too much of Stalker 2 had been shown off since its appearance at E3 2021 where GSC Game World gave viewers five minutes of gameplay. Recently, the game and its developer came under fire as the team announced plans to incorporate NFTs — non-fungible tokens — into the game, but the plan was nearly instantly scrapped after backlash from fans.
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It is improbable that the short NFT debacle played a role in the push, but it does seem like GSC Game World still has some work to do on Stalker 2, so a delay is likely a good thing in the long run. In the meantime, players will have to be patient just a few more months for the long-awaited return of the series.
