The “tomorrow” in the headline is outdated. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl’s free Stories Untold update was announced for December 18, 2025, after a correction to the original announcement. It adds a signal-driven story, eight quests, seven locations, six characters, a weapon and a hub. It is separate from the later, paid Cost of Hope expansion.
When does the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 story update come out?
Stories Untold was announced to arrive on December 18, 2025. The date comes from a correction added to GSC Game World brand manager Mykyta Horodyvskyi’s PlayStation Blog post; the post’s original body still says December 16. Because the announcement is historical, “tomorrow” is not a current release date. The sources cited here do not substantiate a separate story update scheduled for October 9, 2026, nor do they establish whether a later announcement changed the update’s status. PlayStation Blog announcement and correction.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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The Art of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl | $31.19 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Riders Republic Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One Standard Edition | $14.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Xbox One S | $198.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Xbox: The Making of a Bad-Ass Machine | $2.99 | Buy on Amazon |
What is in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Stories Untold update?
GSC described Stories Untold as a free update for all owners of the base game. Its announced contents are eight quests, seven locations, six characters, a unique weapon and a hub. The story becomes available after the game’s early stages, according to the announcement.
A signal near Malachite
The story begins with reports of a signal disrupting PDA communications near Malachite. Stalkers who hear it experience headaches, nosebleeds and hallucinations. Professor Medulin has witnessed its effects, and radio enthusiast Banzai joins the investigation. Players may pick up the emergency transmission while exploring the Zone; the announcement points specifically to the Red Forest.
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Locations and a possible hub
The named destinations include the Fairy Tale Pioneer Camp and Old Mine in the Red Forest, as well as the Car Dump, Army Warehouses, City Boiler Room, Rail Depot near Malachite and Volkhov SAM. One possible outcome of the story is a new hub in the Burnt Forest. It is described as having a technician, trader, medic, guide, sleeping place and stash.
The GP37V2
The update’s named weapon is the GP37V2, a modified GP37 with a pre-installed suppressor and a low-magnification scope. Its trigger offers single-shot and burst fire, not full-auto fire. Horodyvskyi introduced the weapon with the line, “No stalker embarks on an expedition unprepared.”
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How Stories Untold differs from Cost of Hope
Cost of Hope is a separate major expansion announced in March 2026, not another name for the free Stories Untold update. The comparison below reflects the two announcements, not confirmation of their current store availability or release status.
| Category | Stories Untold | Cost of Hope |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Announced as free for all base-game owners. | Announced as a paid expansion; a current price is not stated in the source. |
| Story scope | Eight quests, six characters and a signal investigation near Malachite. | A separate story following Skif during events parallel to the base-game story. GSC described its intended length as “dozens of hours,” a publisher estimate rather than a measured playtime result. |
| Areas | Seven locations and a hub that can emerge in the Burnt Forest. | The Iron Forest and Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, each described as a large territory with its own hub and smaller locations. |
| Story setup | A signal interferes with PDA communications and causes severe symptoms in stalkers who hear it. | Duty and Freedom, formerly enemies, are connected by the D4 Treaty. After installing the DLC, a PDA signal during the main campaign starts its story; decisions affect the ending and consequences for the Zone. |
For Cost of Hope, the March 26, 2026 announcement described a summer 2026 launch window and named Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, PC via Steam, Epic Games Store and GOG, plus PS5. That announcement does not establish the expansion’s final release status or current platform listings. See the Xbox Wire announcement for the expansion details.
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