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STALKER 2 looks to be a massive game, but is it open world?
One of the abandoned villages you'll come across while exploring The Zone in STALKER 2.
(Image credit: GSC Game World)
Is STALKER 2 a fully open-world game?
Yes, STALKER 2 is a fully open-world game, just like earlier titles in the STALKER series were. Specifically, it will have 20 regions for players to explore as they see fit, including returning areas from previous games that have been expanded as well as completely new zones.
STALKER 2 features a complete open world
During your playthrough, you'll likely come across many points of interest like helicopter crash sites or noteworthy structures.
(Image credit: GSC Game World)
Aside from some standout releases like Dragon's Dogma 2 and Star Wars Outlaws, 2024 has, overall, been a pretty light year for big-budget open-world games. Before the year ends, though, there's one more scheduled to come out — and it's a huge one. That title is STALKER 2, the long-awaited and highly anticipated survival horror shooter from Ukrainian studio GSC Game World that's finally releasing on November 20 after years of tumultuous development.
Excitement for the game has sharply risen in the last several months, with players eager to finally play it after multiple delays brought on by Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. As a result of that soaring interest, many are also curious about the exact nature of the open world in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Indeed, while many "open-world games" do feature complete non-linear open worlds, others blend linear gameplay and progression with larger-than-usual spaces to try and deliver a satisfying synthesis of the two design approaches.
According to STALKER 2's developers, it will feature a full open world, just like the games in the original STALKER trilogy did (these shadow dropped on consoles this year, by the way). More specifically, commentary in a recent gameplay deep dive revealed that there are 20 connected regions to explore in the FPS, including zones from the older games that have been expanded and brand new areas. You'll have the freedom to venture between these non-linear locations in whatever way you want during your adventure in The Zone, with dynamic faction relationships and an advanced AI simulation system called A-Life 2.0 hopefully ensuring that no two playthroughs of the game play out the same way. And while there will be a main quest chain to follow, you'll have the ability to choose when you engage with it and heavily influence its various outcomes.
What is STALKER 2's map size?
A player reloads their rifle near a windmill as the sun sets in STALKER 2.
(Image credit: GSC Game World)
STALKER 2 will have a completely open-world map, but how big is that map? It's a good question to ask, as total map sizes tend to be representative of how much there is to see and do in an open-world game. Granted, this isn't always the case — I found Starfield to be as wide as an ocean but as deep as a puddle, for example — but in my experience, it's generally true.
Luckily, GSC Game World has given us an answer in a FAQ on STALKER 2's website. In it, the studio states that the game has "a seamless open world with more than 60 square kilometers of space, which is one of the biggest open worlds in video games to date." In total, it expects that "you’ll need more than 100 hours of gameplay to explore its secrets."
That's far from the biggest map in gaming, but it's pretty huge for a shooter game. To give some context, The colossal world of Elden Ring encompasses just over 80 square kilometers; The Zone in STALKER 2 is 75% of that, but will be experienced entirely on foot with grounded movement instead of constant sprinting and a trusty spectral steed. Put simply, it should feel gigantic even though its size isn't breaking any records.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC on November 20, and looks to be one of this year's best Xbox games and best PC games. It has a $59.99 MSRP, but notably, you can preorder it with a discount at CDKeys right now. On day one, you'll also be able to play it through Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
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