In anticipation of the STALKER 2 Cost of Hope DLC that is launching this summer, GSC Game World has now released a major Sealed Truth update for the open world survival shooter, inviting players to explore the mysterious X-Lab and a new location within the Zone.
Released as a little celebration of the Cost of Hope announcement, this is a thank you to players for playing the game. It is essentially a free mini-DLC, adding new story content and opportunities to grab some high-end loot. Here’s the rundown from GSC Game World:
Explore the X-Lab
Deep beneath the Zone, places like X-Labs remain sealed behind massive doors or buried under the consequences of failed “research.” Rumors are now spreading among stalkers that Diod, a technician from Slag Heap, has somehow gained access to the lower levels of X-18.
No one knows what is really happening down there. This is your chance to find out.
Risky Gig with High Reward
Diod isn’t interested in loot — only in something he desperately needs. And it just so happens that Skif might be the only one capable of getting him inside.
On paper, it sounds like a simple deal: access to the lab in exchange for a hefty payout. But nothing in the Zone is ever simple.
Expect a high-risk, high-reward excursion filled with mystery, danger, and unknown consequences. Aside from the payment, more may await — lost knowledge, useful gear, or something far more significant hidden deep within the lab.
New Context in the Zone
This content drop expands the world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl with a focused but meaningful story encounter tied to the deeper mysteries of the X-Labs.
It serves as a complimentary update in celebration of the upcoming Cost of Hope DLC announcement, and is meant as a thank-you to the community for staying with the Zone.
Looking to the summer, Cost of Hope will invite you back into the Zone, weaving a new chapter around the battle between the factions of Duty and Freedom. You’ll continue to play as Skif, the protagonist from STALKER 2, with the Cost of Hope DLC fed into the open world, freeform experience of the main game.
Cost of Hope will take you to two new regions to explore: the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant that is now calling stalkers back in, and the Iron Forest, which is a maze of paths and uncharted locations. Each region has its own hub, quests and activities, while there’s new weapons and gear to stock up on. This has been described as the “middle chapter of the ‘second trilogy'”, though where the first STALKER was three separate games, the story being told here will all be included in the same game. A future DLC story expansion will wrap up the tale.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl Review
In our STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl review, Miguel said, “STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is an immersive experience like no other. It’s a tense shooter, a gripping survival experience, an immersive explorable sandbox, and a stunning piece of art come to life despite the harrowing circumstances of the team behind it all.”
Source: press release
