Fans who have been waiting for 15 years to see the sequel to Stalker finally come about will have to now wait just a little bit longer. Developer GSC Game World announced today via social media that Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl has now been delayed from its launch date in the first half of 2022 to a new date at the end of the year. The move isn’t only one that will make longtime fans of the series saddened, but it also dampens Xbox’s lineup in the first half of 2022.ย
In its statement released on Twitter, GSC Game World revealed that the new launch date for Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl will now be December 8, 2022. Speaking to why this delay was done in the first place, the studio explained that this extra development time will help the title become more polished. “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,” the development team stated. “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.”
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As mentioned previously, while this delay of Stalker 2 is surely a hit to fans who have long been waiting to play the highly-anticipated sequel, it’s also a hit to Xbox in the first half of this year. Stalker 2 was poised to be one of the first major console exclusives coming to Xbox Series X in the early portion of 2022. And even though it will still be a console exclusive for Xbox when it drops later in the year, this release date moving makes the Xbox’s lineup just a bit slimmer in the coming months.ย
Are you upset about this delay for Stalker 2? Or are you more than content with waiting to play the game later this year in December? Let me know your reaction either down in the comments or send me a message on Twitter at @MooreMan12.
