Xbox Game Pass gets the most eagerly-anticipated RPG even a war couldn't stop
Day one release has taken more than a decade to get here
by Rik Henderson · T3Quick Summary
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl leads the Game Pass titles being added over the next couple of weeks.
It's taken 14 years to get to us, but is finally here!
Xbox Game Pass subscribers are getting more than one big treat this month, with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 set to be joined by one of the most eagerly-anticipated role playing games of all time.
The latest Flight Sim hit the service today, with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members able to download and play it on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and respectively now. And, as of tomorrow, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will also be part of the Game Pass library.
The RPG has had a lengthy journey to get here too, with a sequel first being announced in 2010. That version was eventually cancelled before reemerging in 2018 for an expected release in 2022.
Sadly though, Ukrainian studio GSC Game World had to pause development when Russia invaded its homeland. This led to some of the team having to flee their homes, while others joined Ukraine's armed forces to fight the aggressors.
However, the game continued in development after GSC Game World moved the operation to the Czech Republic, resulting in the final version released to be released on Game Pass on 20 November 2024.
As with its predecessors, it is set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland and is played in first-person. It is part shooter, part survival, and part role-player as you make your way across the dangerous terrain to the centre of Chornobyl,
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart of Chornobyl - Developer Deep Dive - YouTube
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will also be available to play using Xbox Cloud Gaming on Samsung TVs, Fire TV Sticks and mobile, for those with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions.
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Also coming to Xbox Game Pass from tomorrow (20 November) are Little Kitty, Big City and PlateUp!
Nine Sols will be added on 26 November, while Aliens: Dark Descent will follow the next day.
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