Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has only just released on PlayStation 5, but developer GSC Game World is far from done with its open-world survival game. With so many features planned that the team could update the game “forever”, the biggest focus right now is on the game’s upcoming engine upgrade that should massively improve performance.
Speaking to FRVR earlier last month, GSC Game World explained that this upgrade is “a bit job” but players will “really feel the difference once the full upgrade is ready”. However, with major performance gains coming to the heavy open-world game, could the title be free to come to even more platforms.
In our discussion with the development team, we asked GSC Game World whether Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl was simply too demanding for the likes of the Nintendo Switch 2. While the handheld can handily run games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Cyberpunk 2077, GSC’s game is currently very CPU heavy and could prove troublesome on the device.
Nevertheless, the developers are keeping their options open, not only looking at Nintendo Switch 2, but also the slew of PC handhelds like Steam Deck, ROG Ally and more for future releases. While there is nothing to announce at the moment, the game’s upcoming performance overhaul could leave the door open to support even more players.
“Speaking not only about the Switch 2, but about portable consoles/PCs in general, this is a very interesting area that is developing rapidly right now,” Stalker 2 technical producer Ievgen Kulyk told FRVR.
“Naturally, even as enthusiasts of games in all their forms and expressions, we’re watching it with great interest. However, at the moment this doesn’t mean any specific announcements.”
At the time of writing, Stalker 2’s latest 1.7 is almost playable on Valve’s Steam Deck at low settings. While the game can hit highs of 50fps in small rooms, it largely rests just under 30fps during firefights, which isn’t playable for many gamers. With the Nintendo Switch 2 around the same level of power as a Steam Deck when ray-tracing isn’t involved, it would likely be a bust on that system as well.
However, with the game’s upcoming engine upgrade, GSC Game World is expecting major performance boosts across the board for Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl. With this in mind, a solid 30fps on Steam Deck appears possible, especially with the game already just about falling short of that margin as of the game’s recent 1.7 update.
Alongside the game’s engine overhaul, GSC Game World is also working on the game’s first DLC expansion. In an earlier article, we explained that the upcoming DLC will be more “cinematic” with a focus on “explaining old and new mysteries of the Stalker world”.
“With the Stalker 2 release comes a new cinematic experience too – with a totally fresh level of cutscene direction,” GSC communications director Zakhar Bocharov told us. “The main goal is a quality add-on: more iconic gameplay moments for the series, more story, a focus on memorable characters, and explaining old and new mysteries of the Stalker world.”
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is available right now on PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
