GSC Game World offers a sweet 20% discount on S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chornobyl. The fans’ reactions? Well, let’s just say, they were quite…engrained in their ambivalent feelings. Like radioactive anomalies mixed with vodka. This discount will last until May 30th, but judging from some of the responses, some players would rather wait till the Zone starts acting hospitable.
The official tweet sets high expectations for the “Legends of the Zone” experience, but fans quickly began firing off complaints faster than a rusty AK-74. Top complaints? Instability of the game (yeah, more of that), lack of A-Life systems, and also the fact that the PlayStation 5 version is nowhere to be found. One user simply stated that the game in its current state is “complete shit”—ouch!
Console players are cracking with envy. There have been multiple requests to bring the game to PS5, with one user (@themdamnyankeez) even going full conspiracy theory blaming Microsoft’s “greed” for keeping the game off Sony platforms. Meanwhile, PC gamers are crashing at compile times and calling the optimization “potato” level. Not really the spotlight GSC was hoping for with the announcement of the sale.
But hey, it’s not all pouring rain! Some fans took it with a pinch of salt, all very much in a patient gamer fashion, with one man, @morenthus, openly proclaiming that he has a strategy to wait for 5-7 years until an 80% discount to play through his backlog of around 20 years. That man is a legend! Other users mentioned that there was 30% off just last month and suggested others wishlist it and wait for a steeper discount.
One of the more colorful dramas revolves around the A-Life debate. For non-stalkers, A-Life is basically the game’s signature AI system that makes the Zone feel alive. Except now? That is to say, it’s more like A-Dead. Several comments warn against purchasing until this core feature gets implemented properly. One poetic fellow, @Stillnyte01, basically said they’re going to wait until both A-Life works and they’ve upgraded from their “potato PC,” which, honestly? Mood.
GSC tried building hype with the words “echoes by the campfires” in the promotional tweet, yet all fans want to hear are echoes of patch notes that fix this game first. The reply section is a greatest hits compilation of early access complaints: unfinished, unstable, and, according to @MixailS81385, they’re still struggling with Unreal Engine optimization.
The silver lining? At least one helpful guy, @HushPrg, mentioned that full mod support is coming this December or early next year, so this might just save the game if the official updates don’t. But for now, that 20% discount is looking about as appealing as drinking out of a radioactive puddle—few hardcore fans might risk it, while most will probably wait for less radioactive water. Or in this case, a polished game.
The real question is whether GSC can fix these in time for a complete mutation of goodwill into something far more dangerous. According to the franchise’s history, they’ve got time — stalker fans are nothing if not patient. But they are brutally honest, and right now? The Zone is looking a little too rough around the edges, discount or not.
