STALKER 2: Cost of Hope expansion announced for Summer 2026

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope is the first major expansion revealed for Heart of Chornobyl and it's set to arrive this Summer. A massive non-linear expansion packed with dozens of hours of gameplay, one you'll be able to tackle as you see fit. Much like the base game, with plenty of open world to explore.

More info they shared via the press release:

It’s time to step into a new chapter of a well-known conflict. Duty, one of the oldest factions, sees the Zone as a threat that must be contained and destroyed. On the other side, Freedom believes it’s a gift — something to explore and harness for the greater good. For a time, this tension was held together by a fragile peace. But deals like that rarely last.

In Cost of Hope, players once again take on the role of Skif, the protagonist of the core game, as he navigates events unfolding alongside Heart of Chornobyl. After installing the DLC, a signal on the PDA will trigger the new storyline as the game unfolds. As always, your choices shape what happens next — and the consequences could affect not just the Zone, but far beyond it.

Cost of Hope introduces two new regions to explore. Navigate the iconic Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, once abandoned and locked away for decades, now calling stalkers back in. Traverse the Iron Forest’s maze-like paths and uncover uncharted locations along the way. Each region features its own hub, quests, and activities. New weapons and gear give Skif a fighting chance against mutants, anomalies, and other dangers that are lurking.

See the announcement trailer below:

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Even more is to come as well. They said expansions will be "released in instalments, with Cost of Hope serving as the middle chapter of the 'second trilogy'". Along with a future story DLC to be revealed later to form a "new, expansive narrative arc within the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. saga".