When STALKER 2 Heart of Chernobyl launched in late-2024 it was clearly in an unfinished state, with a well-designed world overshadowed by bugs and performance issues. Despite multiple delays, the day one iteration of the game evidently needed more time in the oven. However since launch we have seen several large patches including the new V1.2 "major patch", which fixes over 1,700 issues.
Taking to X, developers GSC World announced patch 1.2 "brings stability fixes, fixes for main and side quests, enhancements for locations and regions, A-Life improvements, AI shooting accuracy adjustments, cutscenes and localization fixes, and also a new controller ability, shadows from the player’s flashlight and much-much-mooooooooooore!". The full patch notes can be found on the games Steam page.
Furthermore, GSC World have released a small 1.2.1 update to fix various crashes and save loading. Players who discover further issues with STALKER 2 are requested to inform the developers via their support hub.
Whilst the title has some way to go to become the complete polished package the developers envisaged, it is worth always remembering the challenges the Ukrainian developers have created this major AAA title under. Whilst Xbox players may be hesitant to purchase the title outright in its current state, the title remains in Xbox Game Pass to where it launched day one. You can also read our STALKER 2 review!
Have you played through STALKER 2's Chernobyl Exclusion Zone? Were you one of many players experiencing technical issues since launch? Let us know in the comments below.
