S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Cost of Hope expansion announced (Image via GSC Game World)
2: Cost of Hope, which is set to be the first major expansion for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. It was essentially announced on July 27, 2026, and the DLC will be arriving for PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 on August 20, 2026.
GSC Game World has officially revealed the release date for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
Cost of Hope arrives together with Update 2.0, a free update for all owners of the base game. This upgrade is essentially based on Unreal Engine 5 and seeks to improve the overall stability, performance and visual quality of the game. It also brings to a close almost two years of post-launch improvements following the difficult launch of the base game in 2024.
For players who skipped the game at launch due to technical issues, update 2.0 provides an ideal opportunity to return.
According to the PC requirements listed for the expansion: As tensions rise, you will need to team up with Zulu and Mavka to discover a deeper mystery behind the brewing chaos. Throughout the campaign, your decisions will influence how the story unfolds. The Iron Forest offers a maze-like environment filled with hidden paths, secrets, side activities, and quests.