Hardcore shooter expanded and improved

• by Liam Croft
• Yesterday, 2pm

GSC Game World has announced the first of two expansions for STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl will launch alongside a significant 2.0 update for the hardcore PS5 shooter on 20th August 2026.

This DLC extends the story of the FPS — which was ported to PS5 last year — with a twist on the two warring factions in the game: Duty and Freedom. "As tensions rise and the fragile peace between them begins to unravel, the fate of the Zone hangs in the balance."

You shall explore new areas, face new enemies, and find new weapons in a story that's designed to work alongside the main plot. "With dozens of hours of content, your choices will shape the future of the Zone in this major new chapter of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. saga," the press release teases. You can see the expansion in action in the trailer above, and here are some screenshots to go with it:

This new content comes alongside the 2.0 update, which upgrades the game's Unreal Engine 5 support to a new version and packs in even more content free of charge. More details are to be shared soon.

While it remains a very hardcore and unforgiving experience, I've heard STALKER 2 is now in a much better place after a raft of updates and improvements on PS5. It released in a poor state, but with the first DLC on the horizon, it sounds like now is a good time to try it — either for the first time or as a returning player.

Are you interested? Let us know in the comments below.