Stalker 2 has been hit with a lengthy delay, as the team says that the game still requires "thorough testing and polishing". It is now set for a December 8, 2022 launch - seven months after its original release date.
The news comes from a short statement, shared on the official Twitter. The team doesn't go too in-depth, simply stating that the delay will allow developers to "fulfil our vision and achieve the desired state of the game", and that development should take "as long as necessary".
"We have made a decision to postpone the release of Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl to December 8, 2022", the statement opens. "This decision is not an easy one, but we are doing the best possible to deliver you a game that can live up to the expectations".
The reaction from fans has been positive - if a bit disappointed - eager to get the best possible Stalker 2 experience when it finally launches.
It's not clear if it has played a part in the decision, but Stalker 2 recently found itself embroiled in a controversy. It was announced that the game would implement NFTs, allowing players to immortalize themselves in Stalker as a non-fungible token. The reaction was overwhelmingly negative, and the feature was quickly scrapped just a couple of days after the announcement.
Stalker 2 has had a lengthy development, with an original version of the game initially scheduled for a 2012 release. This was scrapped when developer GSC Game World dissolved in 2011 - only to reform and kickstart development once more in 2014. With any luck, this latest delay will ensure that it is well worth the wait, as Stalker fans haven't had a new instalment since 2009.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl is now set to launch December 8, and will be available on Xbox Series X/S and PC. It will be the first game in the series to get a console release.