Ukrainian developer GSC Game World has released a new look at its upcoming open-world FPS title, STALKER 2. The teaser trailer gives fans a first look at in-engine gameplay footage and is meant to represent how the game will feel. STALKER 2 was first revealed with a trailer at Microsoft's Xbox Games Showcase and garnered a ton of attention. Now, the in-engine teaser is giving a taste of the incredibly detailed environments players will find themselves in.
STALKER 2 is set in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. In the STALKER series, two disasters occurred within the Zone, causing strange mutations and anomalies to appear. According to GSC Game World, the teaser trailer is shown in a way that represents "how the game actually feels: fast-paced change of scenery, ominous landscapes and the ever-present feeling of an inevitable danger accompanied by a barely-distinguishable guitar soundtrack."
While the plot of STALKER 2 remains shrouded in mystery, GSC Game World's Q&A session and hints within the teaser may give fans an idea of what they may experience. In the teaser trailer, fans can see the incredibly detailed rooms of a rundown building while witnessing destruction outside with trees collapsing and embers filling the air. The trailer has a fitting end, as fans get their first small look at the horror elements of STALKER 2.
STALKER 2 was first announced in 2010 but was canceled in 2012. After many years, STALKER 2 has been revived and is scheduled to release in 2021 on Xbox Series X and PC. This is the first time that a STALKER title will appear on consoles, and luckily for Game Pass owners, will be available through Xbox Game Pass the first day it is released. STALKER 2 will add to a large list of games that will release on Xbox Game Pass in 2021 including The Medium and The Ascent. It is safe to say that based on the reception of the game at the Xbox Showcase, STALKER 2 is a highly anticipated title for 2021.
Based on the in-engine teaser trailer, GSC World is taking full advantage of Xbox Series X capabilities. According to the game's listing on Xbox, STALKER 2 will utilize ray-tracing, 4K ultra HD, and will feature up to 120 FPS. The trailer seems to show off these elements with detailed lighting, extremely smooth animations, and a very realistic environment.
The trailer does not show an exact release date and the official website mentions that developers are not quite ready to reveal the release date yet. The teaser trailer shows off utilization of the Unreal Engine and based on the trailer releasing today, the title most-likely will not release until the second half of 2021, but there will be a close eye out for any new information regarding the release date.
Stalker 2Â will release for PC and Xbox Series X in 2021.