S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 release date pushed back again to September 2024 to fix "technical imperfections"

rockpapershotgun.com:

Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl's release date is September 5th 2024, GSC Game World have announced, as the developers make some final adjustments to a post-apocalyptic FPS that was revealed way back in 2010 and has been racked by more than its fair share of setbacks and changes of circumstances. They've published a new trailer to mark the occasion, in which a group of the game's quarantine zone mercenaries squat around a campfire, supping mugs of what probably isn't cocoa, and listening to guitar music. It strikes a fitting note of world-weariness.

The developers had hoped to release the game early this year, but according to the release date press bulletin, it became apparent over December that more time was needed.

"During Gamescom 2023, GSC Game World decided to show a small part of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 to the players publicly for the first time ever," reads the mailout. "This one-time initiative then transformed into a journey from one event to another across Poland, France, Brazil, Singapore and other countries. Thousands of players were able to play the game themselves and give the much-needed direct feedback afterwards.

"Two key points emerged from that. The first one was: it absolutely felt and played like a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game, which basically summed up both the key intention and the main inspiration for the project from the very beginning. The second one was: on the technical side of things, the game apparently needed more time in the oven.

"Throughout the frankly challenging development process, time was of the team's main essence," the release continues. "Seeing the scope of polishing and understanding the limits of the players' patience, GSC was absolutely dedicated to releasing the game in Q1 2024. That, however, doesn't change the fact that at the beginning of this year, certain technical imperfections still hold S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 below the expected standards for the final experience the fans are waiting for."

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2's development struggles