Stalker 2 devs tease a more deadly hardcore mode could be added in future updates if there’s enough time

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The Stalker game series is often marketed as a challenging survival simulation set in an unusual, science fiction environment, and at times, Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl seems to live up to this description, especially on its more difficult settings.

Although the Anomaly mod for the original trilogy offers the pinnacle of Stalker survival mode, enthusiasts have been requesting GSC to incorporate an authentic, challenging mode into Stalker 2. This new mode would amplify damage and eliminate the player’s Heads-Up Display (HUD), providing a more immersive, lifelike experience. Is it possible that we might witness this in reality?

In response to fan queries, GSC Game World hinted at faster arrival of mods on Xbox in the future but didn’t provide a definitive answer about adding a more challenging survival mode officially to the game. Yet, they subtly suggested that such an feature might be introduced at some point down the line.

Gamers have requested a mode in the game where all the user interface elements (HUD) are removed, along with a higher difficulty level characterized by the absence of headshot sound effects, anomaly hazard alerts, reduced loot, and more challenging conditions. The developers responded that they frequently play the game without the HUD while refining the game, hinting that such a mode might be introduced in future updates.

GSC Game World mentioned that this concept is intriguing and some developers enjoy challenging themselves by playing without HUD, but it’s premature to decide if it will advance further. For now, they’ve stated ‘NDA’, which means we’ll have to wait and see.

Although GSC Game World hasn’t revealed its Q3 plan yet, they are diligently focusing on enhancing Stalker 2 further. Moreover, they are aiming to reintegrate cut content from development and creating new expansions for the game, as well as planning for a multiplayer mode in the future.

In a different wording: Despite a rocky beginning for Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, the game has been consistently updating and improving thanks to significant patches. Although our initial review pointed out several issues, every version of the game has still provided enjoyable gameplay, even with its glitches.

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2025-07-07 17:40