GSC Game World, the studio behind Stalker 2, is actively developing a free multiplayer mode for the game, emphasizing a design that steps away from established mechanics found in titles like Counter-Strike. The developers revealed their intentions during an interview at Gamescom, detailing that the upcoming mode will not be "session-based."
While the 2.0 update and the Cost of Hope expansion have been released, the studio's focus is now turning towards new content, including a second downloadable content expansion and the multiplayer mode. "The two biggest next steps" for Stalker 2 are DLC 2 and the multiplayer mode, according to GSC CEO Ievgen Grygorovych. He and head of creative Mariia Grygorovych stressed that these projects are in progress and aim to offer experiences distinct from what has been done before, either by GSC or other developers.
The second DLC is planned to feature a "different kind of storytelling and experience" compared to Cost of Hope, with the aim of surprising players in a positive way. This commitment to originality extends to the multiplayer component.
"We believe that we are not doing something that everyone [would] do," Ievgen Grygorovych stated regarding the multiplayer. "We are not trying to copy other mechanics and we are doing something that our players, who're playing for 2000 hours in our game, would like." Mariia Grygorovych acknowledged that multiplayer is not a primary expectation for many Stalker players, given the series' strong single-player identity. "So we just experiment [with] what we can do in multiplayer," she said, noting that player expectations for such a mode can vary widely.
GSC hopes to announce further details about the multiplayer mode soon. The developers indicated that it is currently in development, with the goal of creating a unique offering that resonates with dedicated Stalker 2 players.