The recent teaser from GSC doesn’t reveal much, but as the mist clears, you can see the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Accompanied by the message “Something to look forward to in 2026,” it suggests a significant story expansion is coming, allowing players to explore the center of Chornobyl as stalkers.
In early 2025, GSC prioritized fixing bugs and improving the overall quality of STALKER 2. While the game is already quite large and runs well, the team wanted to make it even better. They focused on things like how enemies and characters act, how loot is distributed, and other details to enhance the core gameplay experience.
This update introduces a new mystery centered around a strange signal in the Zone. This signal is causing stalkers to experience symptoms like headaches, nosebleeds, and hallucinations. The questline begins after players leave the Zalissya area early in the game, triggered by a PDA message that can appear anywhere on the map, but is most commonly found near the Burnt Forest.
Unfortunately, some issues popped up with the game, but the developers are already addressing them. They’ve just released update 1.009 (full version 1.009.000) for version 1.8.1.
Stalker 2 has improved significantly since its initial release, thanks to several updates, including the recent PlayStation launch and 1.7 patch. While our reviewer, Sam Chandler, found a lot to enjoy even with the initial bugs (you can read his full review here), this article focuses on how the game feels specifically on the PlayStation 5, especially for those who have already spent considerable time playing the PC version.
GSC Game World has released the “Stories Untold” update for STALKER 2, available now on Steam. The update’s main feature is a wealth of new missions that expand the game’s story and deepen players’ understanding of the Zone.
The latest free update for STALKER 2, version 1.008, brings over five hours of new content to console players. This includes new storylines, locations, and gameplay experiences.
A new update for Stories Untold sends players to a previously unexplored western area of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone after receiving a distress signal. GSC Game World announced that this update includes seven new locations, six new characters, and several hours of fresh gameplay.
In total, the free update will include the following:
Xbox fans were disappointed to see STALKER 2 removed from Xbox Game Pass shortly before it launched on PlayStation 5. This frustrated many players, as significant updates released after the removal meant Game Pass subscribers wouldn’t get to experience those improvements. Some jokingly referred to the Game Pass period as an extended early access phase, with a year of updates essentially completing the game, despite it being fully released initially. Regardless, the developers, GSC Game World, are still actively updating and expanding the game, recently announcing a surprise new content update.