S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl now has a final release date - September 5, 2024

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 now has a final release date with the developer, GSC Game World, revealing that Heart of Chornobyl will hit the shelves on September 5, 2024.

The revelation came on X (formerly Twitter) via the official account for the game, accompanied by a somewhat lengthy message.

The developer was keen to make it clear that feedback on the beta versions of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has been listened to.

We're told in the tweet that most importantly:

"The Zone remains the Zone. In its true beauty and after our likeness. The game absolutely feels and plays like S.T.A.L.K.E.R, the atmosphere, hardcore style, harsh and unwelcoming environment are ready to cook, and we can't be more grateful for these words, as they basically sum up both the key intention and the main inspiration for the project from the very beginning at the same time."

The other revelation is an admission that the game simply needs more time to ensure that it's running well enough for release, and to iron out technical gremlins in the works of the engine. So, the previously floated Q1 2024 target timeframe is no longer happening.

In short, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 needs another pass of polishing, and we're told emphatically (in bold) that:

"The final release date for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is now September 5, 2024."

We're promised a good deal more info on the much-awaited sequel will be released throughout this year, to keep fans entertained during the wait until September.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was first announced way back in 2009 and has a long history of delays. It was supposed to come out in 2012, in fact, before ending up getting canceled, and then the game was resurrected in 2018.

The release date was floated as December 2022, and then it was delayed to December 2023, then Q1 2024, and now we have the new September 2024 timeframe.

Developer GSC Game World is based in Ukraine, so these more recent delays should come as no surprise given the situation in the country.