According to a new post on the official Twitter feed, Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has been delayed until September 5, 2024.
The anticipated sequel was originally going to release in Q1. In fact, brand-new images of the game only just appeared on the Epic Games Store yesterday.
Unfortunately, the developers have cited that they still “witnessed the certain amount of technical imperfections” early this year.
So, Stalker 2 has simply been delayed “for the sake of yet another wave of polishing”.
Pushing Stalker 2 back to Q4 is a fairly lengthy delay, so there must be some rather serious technical issues.
The developers do mention audience feedback following the appearance at Gamescom 2023. They hosted a playable demo for the first time.
So, fans were quick to note both the consistent art design and some technical problems. Today, longtime fans swiftly supported the developers’ decision to prioritize a smooth launch.
Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl remains a standout open world FPS, praised for its memorable lore and unpredictable world. So, standards are high for the sequel, and it deserves all the time it needs.
Fortunately, delaying the game as far as September 2024 should provide ample time for the developers to spruce things up. The demo likely helped the developers identify which specific issues they’ll need to address.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has been delayed before. The production has faced a variety of major setbacks. This includes a fire that affected one of the studio floors, as well as a damaging cyberattack in March 2023.
Hopefully, there won’t be yet another delay later this year, but it is still a possibility. In the meantime, fans of the series remain patient and supportive.
For more on the latest gaming news, you can read about the new confirmation that Xbox won’t feature any shadow drops during the next developer direct.
