[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":479},["ShallowReactive",2],{"en-news-cost-of-hope-update-2-0-everything-to-know":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":16,"extension":428,"head":429,"meta":452,"navigation":185,"path":468,"schemaOrg":469,"seo":475,"stem":477,"__hash__":478},"enNews\u002FenNews\u002Fcost-of-hope-update-2-0-everything-to-know.md","S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope & Update 2.0 — All You Need to Know",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":415},"minimark",[9,17,22,30,35,40,53,72,78,83,99,111,116,170,186,192,197,202,210,226,232,238,243,248,254,259,271,283,289,294,299,305,320,325,338,343,349,354,360,365,370,385,395,401,406],[10,11,12],"p",{},[13,14,16],"span",{"style":15},"color:hsl(40,4%,53%);","Stalkers,",[10,18,19],{},[13,20,21],{"style":15},"We are approaching a massive emission! Both Back to the Zone — Update 2.0 and Cost of Hope expansion will be launched on August 20, and here is everything you need to know before heading Back to the Zone (with no spoilers).",[23,24,26],"h3",{"id":25},"what-is-stalker-2-cost-of-hope",[13,27,29],{"style":28},"color:hsl(36,49%,90%);","WHAT IS S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: COST OF HOPE?",[10,31,32],{},[13,33,34],{"style":15},"S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope is the first major expansion for Heart of Chornobyl, launching on August 20, 2026, on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5|PS5 Pro. It includes a huge new storyline that can take dozens of hours to complete, two new regions — including, among others, the legendary CNPP and Iron Forest — new and returning characters, and much more.",[10,36,37],{},[13,38,39],{"style":15},"All owners of the Ultimate Edition or Season Pass of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will be granted access to the Cost of Hope automatically. Owners of the Standard and Deluxe Editions of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl can either update their version of the game to Ultimate Edition (and get all its additional bonuses), or purchase the DLC as a separate item.",[41,42,45],"figure",{"className":43},[44],"image",[46,47],"img",{"style":48,"src":49,"alt":50,"width":51,"height":52},"aspect-ratio:1560\u002F504;","https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002FDRAFT_52_1_618afb31b9.png","DRAFT52 (1).png",1560,504,[10,54,55,58,69],{},[13,56,57],{"style":15},"Back in the day, we shared ",[59,60,62],"a",{"href":61},"https:\u002F\u002Fnews.xbox.com\u002Fen-us\u002F2026\u002F03\u002F26\u002Fstalker-2-dlc-xbox-partner-preview\u002F",[13,63,65],{"style":64},"color:hsl(36,86%,52%);",[66,67,68],"u",{},"more insights on the details of Cost of Hope with our friends at XBOX",[13,70,71],{"style":15}," — you should take a look.",[23,73,75],{"id":74},"how-to-start-the-dlc",[13,76,77],{"style":28},"HOW TO START THE DLC",[10,79,80],{},[13,81,82],{"style":15},"The expansion's protagonist is Skif, and the events unfold in parallel with the story of Heart of Chornobyl. After installing the DLC, during your playthrough of the main campaign you'll receive a signal on your PDA that will start the expansion's storyline.",[10,84,85,94],{},[46,86],{"className":87,"style":89,"src":90,"alt":91,"width":92,"height":93},[88],"image_resized","aspect-ratio:3840\u002F2160;width:50%;","https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002FS2_DLC_1_4_copy_6c7d6f0d8f.jpg","S2_DLC1_4 copy.jpg",3840,2160,[46,95],{"className":96,"style":89,"src":97,"alt":98,"width":92,"height":93},[88],"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002FS2_DLC_1_9_copy_4108e26ac4.jpg","S2_DLC1_9 copy.jpg",[10,100,101,106],{},[46,102],{"className":103,"style":89,"src":104,"alt":105,"width":92,"height":93},[88],"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002FS2_DLC_1_11_copy_82ad3bf72e.jpg","S2_DLC1_11 copy.jpg",[46,107],{"className":108,"style":89,"src":109,"alt":110,"width":92,"height":93},[88],"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002FS2_DLC_1_12_copy_d60b046e64.jpg","S2_DLC1_12 copy.jpg",[10,112,113],{},[13,114,115],{"style":15},"The DLC content is split between two parts of the game. The first becomes available shortly after leaving the Lesser Zone closer to the beginning of the game, while the second unlocks after completing the A Minor Incident main story mission. For players' convenience, we've added shortcuts to the main menu that let you skip directly to the DLC content. If you choose to use this feature, there are several options available:",[117,118,119,138,150,165],"ul",{},[120,121,122],"li",{},[13,123,124,125,129,130,133,134,137],{"style":15},"Select ",[126,127,128],"strong",{},"New Game"," → ",[126,131,132],{},"DLC Content",", then choose ",[126,135,136],{},"Skip Ahead to The Cost of Hope",".",[120,139,140],{},[13,141,142,145,146,149],{"style":15},[126,143,144],{},"Early Start"," skips the game to the point where the first part of the DLC becomes available. ",[126,147,148],{},"Advanced Start"," skips ahead to a later stage of the main story, where both parts of the DLC are available.",[120,151,152],{},[13,153,154,155,157,158,157,161,164],{"style":15},"Advanced Start places you at a point in the game where several faction-related choices have already been made in the main story. Choose ",[126,156,148],{}," – ",[126,159,160],{},"Spark or Advanced Start",[126,162,163],{},"Ward",", depending on your preference. This choice does not affect the DLC content. It only applies to the main game and its storyline.",[120,166,167],{},[13,168,169],{"style":15},"For players focused on the DLC, Advanced Start is the recommended option. All Update 2.0 features are available regardless of your starting point, while the open-world structure allows you to leave the DLC path at any time and freely explore the Zone.",[171,172,175],"div",{"className":173},[174],"raw-html-embed",[176,177],"iframe",{"width":178,"height":179,"src":180,"title":181,"frameBorder":182,"allow":183,"referrerPolicy":184,"allowFullScreen":185},760,430,"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FV2H5TBVr2hQ?si=HtCdoa_WZapdZujF","YouTube video player","0","accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share","strict-origin-when-cross-origin",true,[23,187,189],{"id":188},"cost-of-hopes-main-story",[13,190,191],{"style":28},"COST OF HOPE'S MAIN STORY",[10,193,194],{},[13,195,196],{"style":15},"The factions of Duty and Freedom — enemies in the past — are now tied together by the D4 Treaty, a pact signed by every group in the Zone before the events of Heart of Chornobyl. But no pact can keep the ideological and philosophical differences in peace forever.",[10,198,199],{},[13,200,201],{"style":15},"Duty are the ones who see the Zone as a danger to humanity. Their goal is simple: destroy that danger and protect humankind from the unknown. Freedom see things differently. For them, the Zone is a gift — something humanity should explore and learn to use for the greater good.",[41,203,205],{"className":204},[44],[46,206],{"style":207,"src":208,"alt":209,"width":92,"height":93},"aspect-ratio:3840\u002F2160;","https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002FS2_DLC_1_Key_Art_16x9_with_logo_Full_size_copy_c2857fb32c.jpg","S2_DLC1_Key Art_16x9_with logo_Full size copy.jpg",[10,211,212,215,223],{},[13,213,214],{"style":15},"There are so many details and nuances to this iconic conflict that we even prepared ",[59,216,218],{"href":217},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.stalker2.com\u002Fnews\u002Fzone_between_duty_and_freedom",[13,219,220],{"style":64},[66,221,222],{},"a separate blog post for it",[13,224,225],{"style":15},". You can also enjoy this amazing story trailer!",[171,227,229],{"className":228},[174],[176,230],{"width":178,"height":179,"src":231,"title":181,"frameBorder":182,"allow":183,"referrerPolicy":184,"allowFullScreen":185},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FXkk96ckk_d8?si=DnzFTwMhNh4-GdeF",[23,233,235],{"id":234},"new-regions-and-locations-to-explore",[13,236,237],{"style":28},"NEW REGIONS AND LOCATIONS TO EXPLORE",[10,239,240],{},[13,241,242],{"style":15},"Cost of Hope will introduce two new regions: Iron Forest and the long-awaited Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. A region isn't just a single location. It's a large territory, each with its own hub, along with dozens of smaller locations to discover — all filled with quests and activities, dangers and mysteries.",[10,244,245],{},[13,246,247],{"style":15},"Here, let's take a walkthrough of them.",[171,249,251],{"className":250},[174],[176,252],{"width":178,"height":179,"src":253,"title":181,"frameBorder":182,"allow":183,"referrerPolicy":184,"allowFullScreen":185},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002Frgp6o6dBmNE?si=ukzxUx3rMOg511FL",[10,255,256],{},[13,257,258],{"style":15},"There are also new places to visit outside the two new regions. Revisit SIRCAA, the iconic X-16 lab, and other new and familiar locations. We won't spoil them all, but as Skif once said — “We found a whole city that shouldn't even exist.”",[10,260,261,266],{},[46,262],{"className":263,"style":89,"src":264,"alt":265,"width":92,"height":93},[88],"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002FS2_DLC_1_7_copy_2818c744e3.jpg","S2_DLC1_7 copy.jpg",[46,267],{"className":268,"style":89,"src":269,"alt":270,"width":92,"height":93},[88],"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002FS2_DLC_1_1_copy_8807b03d60.jpg","S2_DLC1_1 copy.jpg",[10,272,273,278],{},[46,274],{"className":275,"style":89,"src":276,"alt":277,"width":92,"height":93},[88],"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002FS2_DLC_1_10_copy_2c3b59ae1d.jpg","S2_DLC1_10 copy.jpg",[46,279],{"className":280,"style":89,"src":281,"alt":282,"width":92,"height":93},[88],"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002FS2_DLC_1_5_copy_48a041f702.jpg","S2_DLC1_5 copy.jpg",[23,284,286],{"id":285},"back-to-the-zone-update-20",[13,287,288],{"style":28},"BACK TO THE ZONE — UPDATE 2.0",[10,290,291],{},[13,292,293],{"style":15},"Simultaneously with the release of Cost of Hope expansion on August 20, 2026, we will release a long-awaited “Back to the Zone — Update 2.0” available for free for all players, no matter the edition of the game.",[10,295,296],{},[13,297,298],{"style":15},"Back to the Zone — Update 2.0 is our biggest overhaul to how the Zone looks, feels, and lives since launch. The technical work here runs deeper than usual — including a significant engine upgrade — and alongside it, we've packed in features stalkers have been asking for, and a few things we've been wanting to show you for a while.",[10,300,301],{},[46,302],{"src":303,"alt":304},"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002FS2_Rebranding_Main_Key_Art_2_16x9_3840x2160_copy_3c939d0fee.jpg","S2_Rebranding_Main Key Art_2_16x9_3840x2160 copy.jpg",[10,306,307,310,318],{},[13,308,309],{"style":15},"To name a few: updated foliage and lighting, new weapons and attachments, binoculars, new custom difficulty, and much more. We described the main improvements and new features ",[59,311,313],{"href":312},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.stalker2.com\u002Fnews\u002Fback-to-the-zone-2-0-update",[13,314,315],{"style":64},[66,316,317],{},"in this blog",[13,319,137],{"style":15},[10,321,322],{},[13,323,324],{"style":15},"Don't want to read? — here is also a showcase trailer!",[41,326,328],{"className":327},[44],[59,329,331],{"href":330},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fwatch?v=pjbNiV-bbbs&t",[46,332],{"style":333,"src":334,"alt":335,"width":336,"height":337},"aspect-ratio:1920\u002F1080;","https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002Fupdate_2_0_thumbnail_button_d9f9343fb5.jpg","update_2.0_thumbnail +button.jpg",1920,1080,[10,339,340],{},[13,341,342],{"style":15},"On August 20, 2026, we will also share both short and long patch notes on our website in the Patch Notes section and on the Steam page, so stay in touch for more details.",[23,344,346],{"id":345},"saves-compatibility-and-starting-a-new-game",[13,347,348],{"style":28},"SAVES COMPATIBILITY AND STARTING A NEW GAME",[10,350,351],{},[13,352,353],{"style":15},"You don't need to start a new game — all saves from previous game versions will be compatible with Update 2.0 and Cost of Hope expansion. However, if you played the game long, long ago, you may have missed a lot of new content and features we added during the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl update cycle. In that case, it will be beneficial to start a new game just to re-explore the Zone, though it is not a requirement.",[23,355,357],{"id":356},"modifications-and-the-zone-kit-phase-2-update",[13,358,359],{"style":28},"MODIFICATIONS AND THE ZONE KIT PHASE 2 UPDATE",[10,361,362],{},[13,363,364],{"style":15},"We strongly recommend starting both Update 2.0 and the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope expansion without any mods installed. Launching the updated game with not-updated mods may cause game instability and performance issues.",[10,366,367],{},[13,368,369],{"style":15},"We are closely collaborating with the most active and popular modmakers in the Zone Kit Closed Beta format, and we have given them access to the game update early so they can update their mods in advance. Some of them may even be updated on August 20, 2026.",[10,371,372,375,383],{},[13,373,374],{"style":15},"How to delete mods to make sure the game is “clear,” what is the Zone Kit Closed Beta, and how modmakers can prepare for the Zone Kit update — ",[59,376,378],{"href":377},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.stalker2.com\u002Fnews\u002Fmods-cost-of-hope-update-2-0-faq",[13,379,380],{"style":64},[66,381,382],{},"this blog answers those questions",[13,384,137],{"style":15},[41,386,388],{"className":387},[44],[46,389],{"style":390,"src":391,"alt":392,"width":393,"height":394},"aspect-ratio:1280\u002F720;","https:\u002F\u002Fblog.stalker2.com\u002Fuploads\u002Fphase_2_1_48202a1d8c.png","phase_2 (1).png",1280,720,[23,396,398],{"id":397},"welcome-to-the-updated-zone",[13,399,400],{"style":28},"WELCOME TO THE UPDATED ZONE",[10,402,403],{},[13,404,405],{"style":15},"On August 20, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope expansion and free Update 2.0 will be launched, and we can't wait to invite you Back to the Zone! Massive thanks for being a part of this journey, for all your feedback and support along the way. Without you — all that wouldn't have been possible. If you were waiting for the game to be finally updated — this is the time!",[10,407,408,411,414],{},[13,409,410],{"style":15},"Good hunting, stalkers!",[412,413],"br",{}," ",{"title":416,"searchDepth":417,"depth":417,"links":418},"",2,[419,421,422,423,424,425,426,427],{"id":25,"depth":420,"text":29},3,{"id":74,"depth":420,"text":77},{"id":188,"depth":420,"text":191},{"id":234,"depth":420,"text":237},{"id":285,"depth":420,"text":288},{"id":345,"depth":420,"text":348},{"id":356,"depth":420,"text":359},{"id":397,"depth":420,"text":400},"md",{"script":430},[431],{"type":432,"key":433,"data-nuxt-schema-org":185,"nodes":434},"application\u002Fld+json","schema-org-graph",[435],{"headline":5,"description":436,"datePublished":437,"publisher":438,"mainEntityOfPage":444,"image":447,"@type":451},"S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope expansion and the free Back to the Zone — Update 2.0 launch August 20, 2026. Here's everything to know, no spoilers.","2026-08-19",{"name":439,"logo":440,"@type":443},"GSC Game World Global LTD",{"url":441,"@type":442},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.stalker2.com\u002Fstalker2\u002Flogos\u002Flogo-S2.png","ImageObject","Organization",{"id":445,"@type":446},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.stalker2.com\u002Fnews\u002Fcost-of-hope-update-2-0-everything-to-know","WebPage",{"url":448,"width":449,"height":450,"@type":442},"\u002Fuploads\u002FSnippet_fae1b28848.jpg",1200,630,"NewsArticle",{"slug":453,"category":454,"bg":455,"img":456,"locale":457,"date":437,"prev":458,"next":463},"cost-of-hope-update-2-0-everything-to-know","News","\u002Fuploads\u002FArticle_page_c16009940b.jpg","\u002Fuploads\u002FNews_page_1_d7c6d2aa60.jpg","en",{"title":459,"slug":460,"img":461,"date":462},"Back to the Zone — Update 2.0","back-to-the-zone-2-0-update","\u002Fuploads\u002Fupdate_2_0_1920_1080_key_art_82c8de3e78.jpg","2026-08-14",{"title":464,"slug":465,"img":466,"date":467},"To Modplayers and Modmakers: note before Cost of Hope and Update 2.0 release","mods-cost-of-hope-update-2-0-faq","\u002Fuploads\u002FNews_page_e0b294da72.jpg","2026-08-18","\u002Fennews\u002Fcost-of-hope-update-2-0-everything-to-know",[470],{"headline":5,"description":436,"datePublished":437,"publisher":471,"mainEntityOfPage":473,"image":474,"@type":451},{"name":439,"logo":472,"@type":443},{"url":441,"@type":442},{"id":445,"@type":446},{"url":448,"width":449,"height":450,"@type":442},{"metaTitle":476,"metaDescription":436,"canonicalURL":445,"metaImage":448,"title":5,"description":16},"Cost of Hope & Update 2.0 — All You Need to Know ｜ S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl —  Official website","enNews\u002Fcost-of-hope-update-2-0-everything-to-know","SpVr53C_rTFs-Dk2ALAHam2thgiEEkm7Pc-12X6D1io",1787159492442]