The first major story expansion for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, titled Cost of Hope, is set to release on August 20. The expansion was initially revealed in March during the Xbox Partner Preview event and will launch concurrently with Update 2.0, a significant overhaul for the game.
Cost of Hope is a paid expansion that places players back in the role of protagonist Skif. The new narrative unfolds alongside the base game's campaign, prompted by a mysterious PDA signal that leads Skif into a storyline focused on escalating tensions between the Duty and Freedom factions. The expansion will feature two new environments: the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the Iron Forest. Players can expect to encounter new weapons, gear, and mutated enemies.
This expansion marks the first of several planned for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. The release of Cost of Hope coincides with Update 2.0, a free update that upgrades the game to a new version of Unreal Engine 5, aiming to enhance stability and performance. This update also includes additional new content and gameplay improvements accessible to all players.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Pricing for the expansion is not yet listed, but it will be included in the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions of the base game.