A few hours ago, Ukrainian developer GSC Game World revealed that STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl has surpassed six million players, adding that such a scope is 'hard to comprehend' but the studio is 'incredibly thankful' to the community.
Of course, this doesn't mean six million users have purchased the game. That's because STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl has been available on Game Pass from day one, making it difficult to discriminate between real buyers and subscription users who found the game bundled in their library.
Still, it sounds like GSC Game World is happy enough so far. Moreover, while there has been no mention of a PlayStation 5 version, the console exclusivity is believed to be timed. Eventually, STALKER 2 should also launch on Sony's console, opening up to a whole new audience.
The developer still has a long road ahead when it comes to post-launch support, anyway. The game should be updated to include hardware-enhanced ray tracing, official mod tools with cross-platform mod integration, and even a multiplayer mode, about which we know practically nothing so far. On top of those, there are also two upcoming expansions that were sold as part of the Season Pass, included with the Ultimate Edition.
The base game is well worth playing, if a bit too rough, as I explained in my review:
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a worthy successor of the original in every regard, good and bad. The vision is the same: an uncompromising game that will often frustrate you, but also offers a unique experience that can hardly be found anywhere else. It's the classic example where the total is more than the mere sum of its parts. Bugs and balance issues are still very much an issue, but they shouldn't stand in your way of playing, especially if you're willing to wait a while for developers and modders to fix them. If you enjoy open world games and shooters and don't mind a challenge, there's no reason for you to pass up on this game.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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