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One of the biggest reveals out of today’s Xbox Partner Preview showcase has been the new Stalker 2 expansion. The developer did tease some sort of announcement ahead of the event, but I don’t think an expansion was on many of our bingo cards.
Cost of Hope is the big news; a new add-on that the developer has wisely decided to reveal fairly close to release. Or, at least, the planned release target.
First off, Cost of Hope is set for release this summer. It’ll arrive on all current platforms simultaneously, meaning PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. The expansion is described as “non-linear”, and it takes place in the heartlands, deeper into the Zone.
The story revolves around a conflict between Duty, and Freedom, two factions whose idea of the what the Zone is and their understanding of its possibilities differ widely. You’ll be playing as protagonist Skif once again, and the expansion’s events will run parallel to the main game.
GSC Game World says Cost of Hope will introduce two new regions, offering dozens of hours of gameplay. We’ll get to actually explore the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant as part of the expansion, alongside the Iron Forest.
Each of the two new regions will have its own hub area, NPCs, quests, activities and stories. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Stalker expansion without some new weapons, and Cost of Hope promises a few – some can even be seen in the trailer.
The developer also confirmed that there’s one other story DLC in the works. Together with Heart of Chornobyl, and Cost of Hope all three will form a trilogy of interconnected stories. More details on Cost of Hope – including a release date – will be revealed sometime in the summer.