GSC Game World (like Frogwares) is involved in the Russian-Ukrainian war, without which the long-awaited new episode of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. would almost certainly have been released by now.

At the end of the year, the Ukrainian studio put together a new video called Come to Me. It features gameplay and cutscenes, as well as a summary of why we’re about to embark on a new adventure in the Zone, which we first got to do in 2007 (when S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl was released after years of delays, and was subtitled Oblivion Lost when it was announced in 2001). Since then, a decade and a half and two console generations have passed…

“S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a brand-new entry in the legendary series, enjoyed by millions of players worldwide. The unique combination of first-person shooter, immersive sim, and horror is back. With unprecedented scale, advanced graphics, freedom of choice, and the thickest atmosphere of a deadly adventure, it will be the ultimate S.T.A.L.K.E.R. experience. Welcome to The Zone—an exclusion area around the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Full of radiation, mutants, and anomalies, it draws adventurers from beyond the perimeter. Bounty hunters dwell deep into the Zone, driven by its treasures and mysteries. These people are known as stalkers. Are you ready to become one of them?” says the GSC Game World description.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is scheduled for release sometime in 2023. We don’t know precisely when which may depend on when the Russians stop their war against the Ukrainians. The game is currently announced for Xbox Series and PC and will be available on Xbox Game Pass, but you can also find GSC Game World’s highly anticipated game on Steam, Epic Games Store and GOG.

We wonder how much Microsoft paid not to have the Ukrainians’ game on PlayStation 5 at launch.

Source: Gematsu