After 15 years of anticipation, endless postponements and even cancellations, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl from GSC Game World proved that the interest in the cult series not only did not fade, but also broke records. Already in the first day after the release in Steam, the maximum online number was more than 113 thousand players , which became an absolute record for Ukrainian games.
Comparison with other games
This tally surpassed the previous record holder, shooter Shatterline , which at its peak attracted 21,160 players. What's more, STALKER 2 entered the list of Steam's top game hits, surpassing such giants as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt , Far Cry 5 and Phasmophobia , taking the 133rd place in the overall ranking.
It's worth noting that the game is also available as part of a Game Pass , so the total number of players could be even more impressive. Maybe GSC Game World will share the stats later.
First reviews and ratings
At the time of publication of the news:
- On Steam, the game received 81% positive feedback based on more than 10 thousand reviews.
- Players praise the atmosphere, the scale of the game world and the high-quality Ukrainian localization .
- However, there are often complaints about performance and technical problems.
74 on Metacritic . Western observers note:
- Advantages: hardcore gameplay and immersion in the world of the Zone.
- Cons: Bugs and optimization issues.
Considering the current results, "Heart of Chernobyl" not only strengthens the position of Ukrainian games on the world stage, but also opens the way for new records. There's still a weekend to go, and Steam's numbers could go up.
