STALKER 2 Roadmap 2025 Brings Unreal Engine 5.5.4 Upgrade, PS5 Launch, and Major Gameplay Updates

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is set for a significant round of updates in the second half of 2025. GSC Game World’s roadmap confirms the game will move to Unreal Engine 5.5.4 for better performance and stability, receive expanded gameplay content, upgrade its modding tools, and finally arrive on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro. The update plan is ambitious, with the developers warning that the engine migration could shift the timing of some planned additions.

The studio says the Unreal Engine upgrade will introduce new tools and features to enhance the Zone and deliver more consistent performance. GSC acknowledges the risk to the schedule but is committed to hitting its 2025 targets. While multiplayer is still not mentioned, the list of incoming improvements is extensive, covering visuals, AI behavior, balance changes, and new immersive options for players.

Here’s the complete roadmap list as provided by GSC Game World:

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl — Update Roadmap List for 2025

• Engine update to Unreal Engine 5.5.4 (for optimization)
• Various night vision devices
• Binoculars

A-Life Updates:

• More A-Life Zone: various technical improvements and updates
• NPCs can't see in the dark as good as before
• NPC combat updates
• Mutants combat and balance updates
• New anomalies
• New missions, from old and new friends
• New weather scenario
• Master difficulty preset
• Extended day/night cycle
• Stashes loot rework
• Stamina and energy drinks rework
• Immersive display mode
• Player equipment UI updates
• More UI updates and improvements
• Local save backup restorations
• Further optimization and "anomalies" fixing

Zone Kit — Phase 1 to Phase 2:

• Audio modding (Wwise)
• Narrative tools
• Improved compatibility of various mods that interact with common game systems
• Enhanced Blueprints Modification Support
• Technical Improvements and Optimization
• Discord holiday event
• More Stalker Legends of the Zone Enhanced Edition improvements
• Release of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl on PS5 and PS5 Pro

The developers thank the community for its continued feedback and support, emphasizing that community engagement is critical to making these updates possible.

Earlier this year, Patch 1.5 introduced numerous tweaks and bug fixes, but one of the standout additions was the massive 700GB Stalker 2 Zone Kit, expanding the potential for modding. This year’s roadmap builds on that by adding new tools, compatibility improvements, and enhanced blueprint support, aiming to make the modding ecosystem more powerful and accessible.

Image: Ievgen and Maria Grygorovych, far right, discuss the making of Stalker 2 at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly. Photo by IGN.

The planned gameplay changes are equally broad. Night vision devices and binoculars will improve exploration, while new anomalies, missions, and weather scenarios will deepen immersion in the Zone. The extended day/night cycle and Master difficulty preset are set to challenge veterans, and stamina plus consumable mechanics will be rebalanced to increase survival realism. UI refinements will make managing gear smoother, while the immersive display mode promises a more atmospheric experience.

AI behavior is also receiving notable attention. NPC vision in the dark will be reduced to realistic levels, combat tactics will be improved, and mutant encounters will get balance passes. Together, these changes aim to make the Zone feel more dynamic and reactive to the player’s actions.

Technical stability remains a core focus. Alongside the engine upgrade, the roadmap lists numerous optimization tasks, bug fixes, and local save backup systems to prevent data loss. This is especially important given the game’s scale and the demands of the new Unreal Engine version.

The PS5 and PS5 Pro launch marks the game’s arrival on Sony platforms for the first time. The roadmap suggests the versions will benefit from the same technical and gameplay improvements coming to PC and Xbox Series X|S.

While multiplayer remains absent from the plan, the roadmap still represents one of the most substantial post-launch commitments seen from the studio. GSC Game World has made it clear that the Unreal Engine upgrade is a top priority and could influence the timing of other features, but they believe the payoff in stability and performance is worth the risk.

A Reminder About Ukraine’s New Reality

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is developed by GSC Game World, a Ukrainian studio operating during an ongoing war. Since Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in 2022, civilian life has been under constant threat, and game development has faced unique challenges.

Despite these conditions, the studio has delivered a major game that has sold over a million copies and reached even more players through Xbox Game Pass. The team refers to this situation as “a new reality,” balancing the need to maintain and grow a global audience with the daily impact of war on their work and lives. This reality directly shapes the roadmap — from the pace of updates to the scale of technical changes — and underscores the resilience required to create and support a project of this magnitude in Ukraine today.