Stalker 2 release time – the countdown to the horror-soaked FPS is finally on after 14 years

Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl
(Image credit: GSC Game World)

After 14 years of waiting, the Stalker 2 release time is near, so we're kicking off the last 24 hours with a countdown to tell you everything you need to know before diving into the FPS infused with plenty of horror and survival elements.

Stalker 2 was initially announced in 2010, with a release date of 2012 to follow, though that didn't quite happen. Developer GSC Game World canceled the game and closed the studio following financial difficulties. Two years later, GSC reformed as an entity before confirming four years after Stalker 2 was getting another shot at life. The following years have seen re-reveals and subsequent delays due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a desire for more development time following preview feedback, and more.

Come November 20, Stalker 2 will finally be out and may prove worth the wait. We got a chance to play Stalker 2 and came away believing it has some of the "best FPS action" we've played this year, thanks to its "old-school formula that treats players as highly expendable." And soon, you'll be able to play it too. Here's when Stalker 2 releases in your time zone.

Stalker 2 release time

(Image credit: GSC Game World)

Stalker 2 release time

  • 8am PST on November 20
  • 11am EST
  • 4pm GMT
  • 5pm CET

While some launch times differ between consoles and PCs, Stalker 2 takes a fairly unified approach. That may work better for some than others, depending on where you live in the world, though it does mean everyone should get to start the new FPS game simultaneously.

Stalker 2 countdown

And there you have it; that's when Stalker 2 launches in your time zone. It looks like the install size is a chunky 160GB, so you might not be playing right away on PC as there's no pre-load available. We do hope your internet is up to the task.

Stalker 2 studio is "dedicated" to making post-launch fixes if needed because they "don't want this game to be forgotten in a week."

Deputy News Editor

Iain joins the GamesRadar team as Deputy News Editor following stints at PCGamesN and PocketGamer.Biz, with some freelance for Kotaku UK, RockPaperShotgun, and VG24/7 thrown in for good measure. When not helping Ali run the news team, he can be found digging into communities for stories – the sillier the better. When he isn’t pillaging the depths of Final Fantasy 14 for a swanky new hat, you’ll find him amassing an army of Pokemon plushies.