Stalker 2 release date, preload, system requirements and Xbox Game Pass release details

If you want to hit the ground running and play Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl as soon as possible, these are the details you need to know.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is set to release later this month, and we've gathered up all the crucial information you should know beforehand.

Aside from arguably Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, there’s no bigger release for Xbox players this year than Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Though also arriving day and date with PC players on Steam, GSC Game World’s long-awaited survival shooter marks a huge tentpole release for those who own an Xbox Series X |S, in a year where Microsoft ’s gaming eco-system has been severely starved of console exclusive releases. The first-person shooter sequel has famously been delayed several times up until now, but luckily it seems like no more obstacles will get in the way of the incoming Stalker 2 release date that is now just around the corner.

If you’re a big Stalker head who wants to do everything they can to prepare for the game’s impending release, you’ve come to the right place. Here we’ve gathered up all the crucial information with regards to the Stalker 2 release date, preload availability, file size, and confirmed system requirements. It’s everything you need to immediately start playing on day one of the game’s release as soon as possible and with very little friction. Let’s get into it…

Stalker 2 release date

The official Stalker 2 release date is set for Wednesday, November 20, for both Xbox and PC. This means players looking forward to experiencing all the frights the Zone has to offer only have a little under a week left to wait before being able to dive in. Better yet, those with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription can rest easy knowing that GSC Game World’s highly-anticipated title will launch into the service on day one, requiring no additional purchase for members (on either platform). Unfortunately, a specific release time on this date is yet to be announced by either GSC Game World or Xbox.

Stalker 2 preload and file size

Xbox Game Pass members subscribed to the Ultimate tier, or players who have pre-ordered the game on PC or Xbox, will be delighted to hear that the Stalker 2 preload is available right now. Less exciting, however, is potentially how much space you’ll need to clear to make way for the game on your device. As explained in an article from specialist website Pure Xbox, the Stalker 2 file size comes in at a whopping 147.6 GB for Microsoft’s home console. Fortunately, that’s less than Black Ops 6 ’s Xbox file size, which somehow breached 300 GB, but it’s still a large chunk of your storage being eaten up.

Stalker 2 system requirements

As seen in a recent post on the developer’s official Twitter account, GSC Game World revealed the specific Stalker 2 system requirements for those who plan on playing on PC. This doesn’t apply to Xbox users, of course, but it does reveal that PC players will need slightly more storage at 160 GB. To help you assess whether your setup is prepared, here’s the system requirements broken down by graphic preset:

Low (1080p / 30fps)

• CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB / Intel Arc A750
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 160GB SSD

Medium (1080p / 60fps)

• CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K / AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super / RTX 4060 / AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 160GB SSD

High (1440p / 60fps)

• CPU: Intel Core i7-11700 / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti / RTX 4070 / AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
• RAM: 32GB
• Storage: 160GB SSD

Epic (4K / 60+ fps)

• CPU: Intel Core i7-13700KF / AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 / AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
• RAM: 32GB
• Storage: 160GB SSD

Clearly GSC Game World is hoping that PC players are packing some extremely beefy rigs, with more than a GTX 1060 series graphics card needed to play Stalker 2 on PC to guarantee a stable 60fps. Either way, as put in the Twitter post, these Stalker 2 system requirements on PC are now final, so there will be absolutely no changes or updates to them prior to next week’s release.