S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope revealed as first major Heart of Chornobyl expansion

The new DLC was revealed at the Xbox Partner Preview and promises a significant expansion to the game’s story. Called Cost of Hope, it will add a lengthy new storyline – lasting dozens of hours – along with two new areas to explore, new weapons, and unique anomalies. It will also deepen how you interact with the game world, potentially connecting to the A-Life system which simulates the environment.

STALKER 2 Officially Announces First Major Story DLC, Coming Summer 2026

The recent announcement wasn’t a surprise, considering STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl released in November 2024 with a season pass. This pass, included in the $109.99 Ultimate Edition, guaranteed all future content, including two story expansions. While the open-world shooter-RPG has received several major updates since launch, GSC Game World hadn’t revealed details about those expansions until today.

STALKER 2 DLC Reveals its Main Characters

There’s one character whose reputation is incredibly strong, and we’ll finally get to see him shine in STALKER 2. Everyone in the Zone, get ready to welcome back the one and only Zulu!

Stalker Regeneration & Stims: A Helldivers Theory

Have you ever been quietly liberating a planet when something suddenly throws you across the battlefield? That’s likely a Stalker! These dangerous Terminids are fast, sneaky, and can quickly heal themselves, making them a real threat. Unlike bigger, slower enemies, Stalkers are skilled at picking off individual Helldivers. They don’t just stumble into combat – they actively seek out you and your team, trying to separate and eliminate you one by one.

Dungeon Stalkers to end service on June 9

Dungeon Stalkers initially became available on PC through Steam in Early Access on August 13, 2025, and officially launched on October 28, 2025. The game will have been running for almost ten months since its Early Access debut when service ends. A version for PlayStation 5 was also in development.