Xbox Game Pass didn't stop STALKER 2 from crossing this huge sales milestone in under two days

What you need to know

• After years of development that were heavily disrupted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, GSC Game World's STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl launched on Nov. 20, 2024.
• STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl has already sold over a million copies.
• The developers made sure to clarify that this is sales, not players, and does not count anyone playing the game through Xbox Game Pass.

Over a million Stalkers have already headed into the Zone.

That's according to STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl developer GSC Game World, which shared on Friday that the game has crossed a million copies sold less than 48 hours after launch. The team went on to add that even more players have joined through Xbox Game Pass.

"This is just the start of our unforgettable adventure. The Heart of Chornobyl emanates stronger with each of us," the team says. This comes just after STALKER 2 rose up the Steam charts, reaching over 100,000 concurrent users at its peak.

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While STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl was once meant to launch in 2022, a number of factors quickly made that impossible. In addition to the usual struggles of game development, GSC Game World faced an existential threat due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

As the team continued to work on the game, many members of the development staff volunteered to help repel the invaders, a struggle that's been recorded in an Xbox-produced documentary about STALKER 2's development. After years of struggle, the game finally launched on November 20 across Xbox Series X|S and PC.

In our review of STALKER 2, my colleague Brendan Lowry wrote that "Some major issues with certain mutant encounters and noteworthy bugs and performance snags take away from the experience, but even so, The Zone will engross you with its haunting wonders. There's truly nothing else like it."

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is currently available on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC. It's also included in an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscription.

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl | $49.69 at CDKeys (Steam, PC)

Despite some issues with gameplay balance and irksome bugs, STALKER 2 stands tall as a triumph for GSC Game World. It's one of the most captivating open-world shooters I've ever played, and is a must-play if you have Xbox Game Pass.

Xbox: Amazon (Physical) | Game Legends (Limited Edition, Physical)
PC: GOG (Digital) | Game Legends (Physical)