S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Cost of Hope Gets Accolade Trailer
The trailer is the first Japanese-language marketing push for expansion content that Sega is sub-publishing in Japan under a new agreement with GSC Game World, which puts the Ukrainian studio's post-launch content into the same retail channel as the base game.
Key Facts
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope, the major expansion for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, released on August 21, 2026, for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
- Cost of Hope is priced at 3,990 yen and is sold standalone or as part of the Ultimate Edition of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.
- Sega published an accolade trailer for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope on YouTube on October 1, 2026, gathering recommended comments from Japanese game media.
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope adds two new regions, each with its own hub, quests, and activities.
- A free update for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl was released alongside the expansion on August 21, 2026.
Reporting from 2 sources: 4Gamer.net, ASCII.jp.
GSC Game World's major expansion for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, titled Cost of Hope, is available now on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Windows, plus Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. The expansion released on August 21, 2026, and costs 3,990 yen. It adds two new regions, each with its own hub, quests, and activities, and is pitched as dozens of hours of gameplay. The story follows a faint glimmer of hope in a ruined setting. On October 1, 2026, Sega published an accolade trailer on YouTube collecting recommended comments from Japanese game media. Cost of Hope can be bought standalone or as part of the Ultimate Edition, which bundles the base game and other additional content. A free update for the base game also went live alongside the expansion, expanding its world. The base game carries a CERO Z rating.
The base game runs on Unreal Engine 5 and depicts the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, known as "The Zone," as a seamless open world. The PlayStation 5 version supports haptic feedback and adaptive triggers on the DualSense wireless controller.
Sega handles manufacturing and sales in Japan under a sub-publishing agreement with the Ukrainian studio. The Japanese portal site is stalker2.sega.jp. The base game's CERO Z rating applies to the expansion as well.
Cost of Hope released on August 21, 2026 at 3,990 yen, while the base game arrived earlier: PC and Xbox Series X|S on November 21, 2024, and PS5 on November 20, 2025. Pricing differs by platform.
- PC and Xbox Series X|S: Standard Edition 7,950 yen, Deluxe Edition 10,499 yen, Ultimate Edition 14,499 yen, digital only
- PS5: Standard Edition 8,778 yen, Deluxe Edition 11,528 yen, Ultimate Edition 15,928 yen
The PS5 Standard Edition is the only packaged version. The base game is a survival horror FPS for one player.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.