S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 DLC Cost of Hope to be released on August 20 alongside patch 2.0

The release of the first major story expansion, Cost of Hope, for the action game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is scheduled for August 20, 2026. The DLC will launch simultaneously on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

Along with the expansion, a massive free update, version 2.0, will become available, transitioning the game to an updated Unreal Engine 5.

Cost of Hope DLC: Story and Features

The expansion’s story unfolds in parallel with the events of the main campaign:

• Main Character: The protagonist, Skif, receives a mysterious signal on his PDA, which triggers a separate questline.
• Faction Conflict: The plot focuses on the breakdown of a fragile truce and a new stage of confrontation between Duty and Freedom.
• Familiar Characters: The expansion will feature the veteran Zulu (known from Call of Pripyat) and the character Mavka.
• New Territories: The Chornobyl NPP, as well as the West and Iron Forest locations, will become available for exploration.
• Gameplay: The expansion is designed for dozens of hours of non-linear gameplay, where player choices influence the development of the story and the fates of the characters.

Free Update 2.0

On the day of the DLC release, all owners of the base version of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will receive the free 2.0 update:

• Transition to Unreal Engine 5: The use of the latest engine version is intended to improve overall stability and enhance the graphical fidelity.
• Content Patch: The update includes bug fixes and adds additional content to the main game.