{"rewrite":{"id":"r_705c32dbb5ce76be41ad1c77","clusterId":"c_49cd9decbbea4202aec4ec75","slug":"s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-s-first-major-dlc-cost-of-hope-launches-august-20","model":"deepseek-v4-flash:free","headline":"S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 First Major DLC Cost of Hope Arrives August 20","summary":"GSC Game World announced on July 27 that the first major story expansion for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, titled Cost of Hope, will launch on August 20. The DLC adds two new regions: the Iron Forest and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, each with its own hub, quests, and activities. The story follows protagonist Skif on the same timeline as the main game and focuses on the escalating conflict between the Duty and Freedom factions. Player choices will alter the narrative and affect the entire Zone. The content volume is estimated at dozens of hours. A major free update, version 2.0, will arrive alongside the DLC, upgrading the game to the latest version of Unreal Engine 5 and adding new content and improvements. The DLC is positioned as the middle chapter of a new trilogy, with a second story DLC planned. Cost of Hope will be available on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG.com, Microsoft Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.","whyItMatters":"The DLC expands the base game's world into previously inaccessible areas and advances the faction conflict narrative, while the accompanying free engine upgrade signals continued long-term support for the title.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe expansion introduces two new explorable zones: the Iron Forest and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, areas that were off-limits in the main game. Each zone contains dozens of locations and quests, with a hub serving as a base of operations. The story runs parallel to the main campaign and centers on the fragile D4 Treaty between the Duty and Freedom factions, which begins to unravel. Player decisions will determine the balance of power and the fate of the Zone.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGSC Game World confirmed that Cost of Hope is the first of two planned story DLCs, forming the middle chapter of a new trilogy that started with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. The free version 2.0 update will upgrade the game to the latest Unreal Engine 5 build and include unspecified new content and improvements. The DLC was first announced in March 2026, and the release date was set on July 27. The base game launched in November 2024 and has received multiple major updates since.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"The first major S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 DLC, Cost of Hope, lands August 20 with two new regions including the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, dozens of hours of content, and a free Unreal Engine 5 upgrade.","twitterPost":"Cost of Hope DLC for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 arrives August 20. Player choices decide the fate of the Zone as the Duty and Freedom factions clash. Free UE5 upgrade drops same day.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"GSC Game World has set an August 20 release date for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope, the first major story expansion. It adds two new regions, dozens of hours of content, and a free Unreal Engine 5 upgrade for all players.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"GAME Watch\",\"url\":\"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2128461.html\",\"title\":\"「S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl」Major Expansion 'Cost of Hope' to Release on August 20\"},{\"source\":\"4Gamer.net\",\"url\":\"https://www.4gamer.net/games/127/G012714/20260728027/\",\"title\":\"\\\"S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2\\\" Major Expansion \\\"Cost of Hope\\\" to Release on August 20\"},{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260727-456922/\",\"title\":\"Brutal open-world FPS 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2' first major DLC 'Cost of Hope' to release on August 20 - A new journey of dozens of hours, featuring the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant\"},{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2607273h\",\"title\":\"'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl' First Major DLC 'Cost of Hope' Releases on August 20, Featuring New Areas Like 'Iron Forest' and 'Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant' with Dozens of Hours of Content\"},{\"source\":\"ASCII.jp\",\"url\":\"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/422/4422674/?rss\",\"title\":\"『S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2』大型拡張コンテンツ「Cost of Hope」が8月20日に配信決定！\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/07/28/169823.html\",\"title\":\"'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2' First Major Story Expansion 'Cost of Hope' Launches in August! Player Choices Shape the Zone's Future\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":7619,"outputTokens":1325,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1785172428,"createdAt":"2026-07-27T17:03:57.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-07-27T17:05:45.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-28T08:07:59.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_49cd9decbbea4202aec4ec75","canonicalTitle":"殺伐オープンワールドFPS『S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2』初大型DLC「Cost of Hope」、8月20日配信へ。ボリューム数十時間規模、「チョルノービリ原子力発電所」も登場する新たな旅","representativeArticleId":"a_0a4e9929cda966b703973611","sourceCount":6,"writtenSourceCount":6,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl\"],\"studios\":[\"GSC Game World\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"written","firstSeenAt":"2026-07-27T13:51:07.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-07-28T06:36:58.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-28T08:07:59.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"4Gamer.net","url":"https://www.4gamer.net/games/127/G012714/20260728027/","title":"「S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2」大型拡張コンテンツ「Cost of Hope」，8月20日に配信決定"},{"source":"GAME Watch (Impress)","url":"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2128461.html","title":"「S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl」の大型拡張コンテンツ「Cost of Hope」が8月20日に配信決定"},{"source":"ASCII.jp","url":"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/422/4422674/?rss","title":"『S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2』大型拡張コンテンツ「Cost of Hope」が8月20日に配信決定！"},{"source":"Denfaminicogamer","url":"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2607273h","title":"『S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl』初の大型DLC「Cost of Hope」が8月20日に配信決定。「アイアンフォレスト」「チョルノービリ原子力発電所」などの新エリアやクエストを収録し、数十時間規模のボリュームで登場"},{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260727-456922/","title":"殺伐オープンワールドFPS『S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2』初大型DLC「Cost of Hope」、8月20日配信へ。ボリューム数十時間規模、「チョルノービリ原子力発電所」も登場する新たな旅"},{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/07/28/169823.html","title":"『S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2』初の大型ストーリー拡張「Cost of Hope」8月配信決定！ プレイヤーの選択がゾーンの未来を形作る"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl"],"studios":["GSC Game World"],"people":[],"type":"announcement","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope launches on August 20, 2026.","The DLC adds two new regions: the Iron Forest and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.","The content volume is estimated at dozens of hours of gameplay.","A free version 2.0 update will upgrade the base game to the latest Unreal Engine 5 version.","Cost of Hope is the first of two planned story DLCs, forming the middle chapter of a new trilogy."]}