Developer GSC Game World has a multitude of plans for The Zone this year and has unveiled a fresh roadmap for 2025.
Stalker 2 has been making significant progress in addressing its launch challenges over the last nine months. The anticipated execution of the new roadmap marks a substantial advancement in this effort, especially due to an unexpected engine upgrade.
Stalker 2 transitions to the new version of Unreal Engine 5
Through Steam, GSC Game World has revealed its roadmap for the final two quarters of 2025. The highlight of the announcement: Stalker 2 will transition to Unreal Engine 5.5.4.
Alongside various new features and tools for the Zone, the studio anticipates that the engine upgrade will provide “better stability and performance” throughout the entire game.
Additional new features:
- Night vision devices and binoculars
- Updates for NPCs and mutants
- New anomalies
- New missions from both familiar and new allies
- New weather scenarios
- Introduction of the new difficulty level “Master”
- Extended day/night cycle
- Revisions to the loot stash
- Revisions to stamina and energy drinks
- Immersive display mode
- Update of the character user interface
- Enhancements to the user interface
- Restoration of local save files
- Optimization of anomalies
- Enhancements to the modding tool (Zone Kit)
Moreover, the PS5 and PS5 Pro versions of Stalker 2 are still awaiting release.
Fans didn’t see this coming
Many gamers on Reddit are pleasantly taken aback by the roadmap. “Engine update? I certainly didn’t expect that on my bingo card,” posts Gold_Dog908.
“That’s unbelievable. If they succeed, it’ll be amazing,” comments FishySardines99 and for <a href="%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9