STALKER 2 developer GSC Game World is preparing to launch the game's first major update in some time, dubbed Update 2.0, alongside a new paid expansion called Cost of Hope. The update and DLC will go live simultaneously across PC and consoles, giving both existing players and newcomers access to a substantial refresh of content and features.

Update 2.0 will be free for all owners of the base game, while Cost of Hope will require purchase or come bundled with the Ultimate Edition. The DLC weaves a new story into the main campaign, centred on two previously rival factions now uneasily bound by the "D4 Treaty," and introduces new areas to explore including the Iron Forest and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, along with fresh quests. Release is set for the morning of 20 August 2026, at 9am EDT (1pm UTC), with all 2.0 features available regardless of whether players are in the base campaign or the new DLC.