Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has been announced for PlayStation 5, signalling the end of the game's timed Xbox Series X/S exclusivity.
It's rare to see a timed console exclusive not tied to a first-party developer, given Sony and Microsoft's penchant for acquiring every major independent studio under the sun. Final Fantasy 16 is an example of a non-first-party timed exclusive on PlayStation 5, while Stalker 2 satisfies the same criteria for Xbox.
Given that Xbox is beginning to port its first-party games over to PlayStation 5, Stalker 2 could be one of Microsoft's last-ever timed exclusives.
The port will be released in "late 2025" for the PlayStation 5. If we assume the Xbox Series X/S exclusivity period was one year, then Stalker 2 will likely release sometime around the end of November.
The trailer is a humorous one, depicting in-game characters playing Stalker 2 with full animations and voice acting. Unfortunately, playing a post-apocalyptic shooter during the post-apocalypse probably isn't the escapism these soldiers need.
"Developer GSC Game World has announced that Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl will be released on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro in late 2025," the announcement...
