Stalker 2's first big patch targets main quest blockers and crashes as GSC Game World assures fans it'll "make every effort to constantly improve" the shooter

gamesradar.com:

After releasing five days ago, Stalker 2 was met with mixed reviews citing issues with bugs and drops in performance - thankfully, however, developer GSC Game World says it's got a big patch in the works.

As our own Stalker 2 review describes, the long-awaited shooter is phenomenally fun - but is also sadly "riddled with bugs that range from immersion-busting to game-breaking." That's what GSC Game World's upcoming patch aims to resolve, with fixes for everything from crashes to visual problems. Announcing the new update in a post on Steam, the devs reveal that it's set to release sometime "during the week to come - both on PC and Xbox."

"The game has been out for several days now (it’s still surreal to say that), and we’ve been following your feedback in all possible forms carefully," writes the studio. "To the more than one million stalkers in the Zone, thanks for playing - that means the world to us. We are sure you have things to handle in the Zone, but so do we." The devs then detail some of the patch's changes, starting with fixes for crashes due to memory allocation and rendering failures.

GSC Game World also lists "gameplay and balance adjustments," including fixes to NPCs' behavior and weapon prices. The team is also tackling a plethora of cutscene and visual issues, from missing facial animations to inconsistencies. Some soft lock fixes, user interface improvements, and "notes to be addressed in future updates" are detailed, too, including resolutions for analog stick dead zones and A-Life system bugs.

There's more to come after this initial big update, according to the devs. "We want to reassure you once more that we will make every effort to constantly improve your Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl experience," explains GSC Game World. "We are truly grateful for your feedback and suggestions for improvement." It looks like those "Mostly Positive" ratings may rise up to "Positive" soon after all, with devs taking reviews on board.

Baldur's Gate 3 dev says