Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Gets Free Update This Week Adding New Quests, Locations and Hub

Just weeks after making its PlayStation 5 debut, Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is getting a big free content update adding new quests, characters and a fresh hub, as well as an additional weapon.

In a post on the PlayStation blog, Stalker 2’s Ukranian developer GSC Game World announced the new update and noted that it would be “completely free to all owners of the game” — so anyone who may have played previously on PC and Xbox Series X/S should expect to receive the additional content also.

Xbox owners who played the shooter via Xbox Game Pass when it originally launched in November 2024 may need to check if they still have access, however, as Stalker 2 departed from the subscription’s catalog last month, causing something of a stir.

https://twitter.com/PlayStation/status/2000581764826230944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

“Strange things start happening near the Malachite on the western part of the map,” GSC says of its new questline. “The research groups sent by scientists were reporting a signal interfering with their usual PDA communications. After listening to it, stalkers were suffering from headaches, nose bleeds, and hallucinations.”

It all sounds like something interesting, if potentially deadly, that’s well worth investigating. Eight missions are included, with seven locations to explore, six more characters to meet, plus a new rifle to master: the GP37V2. You’ll also get the chance to establish a new hub in the Burnt Forest region.

GSC had previously promised new quests were on the way as part of its 2025 development roadmap, which included fresh gameplay featurs and story missions, as well as continued technical upgrades — such as a move to the latest version of Unreal Engline. Memorably, Stalker 2 launched in a bit of a state, though GSC has pledged to continue working to turn things around.

“Underneath the technical problems that plague Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a unique greatness,” IGN wrote in our Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl review, giving it 8/10. “It emerges as a refreshingly brutal shooter that strives to hook you with its incredible atmosphere and leave you invested by the end of this long, arduous journey.” Read more on how Stalker 2 has changed everything for the studio amid the full-scale invasion of Ukraine here.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social