"We are working on this issue already." STALKER 2 has a huge, game-breaking problem on Xbox, and GSC Game World confirms that it's working on a fix

What you need to know

• STALKER 2 is an immersive shooter set in a sci-fi infused alternative timeline.
• The Chornobyl nuclear disaster and "The Zone" around the plant has become an anomalously charged region of nuclear phenomena and mutants, and you're stick in the middle of it.
• The game launched on November 20 on Xbox and PC, as well as Game Pass. While the story delivery and atmosphere are next-level, the game is in a bit of a rough state with bugs and optimization issues.
• One of the biggest issues is STALKER 2's gamepad controls. The deadzones are set to zero, which leaves absolutely no room for stick drift on analog sticks.
• GSC Game World confirmed that a fix for this is incoming.

STALKER 2 is here, and it's pretty damn good. With amazing atmospherics, tight gunplay, impressive environments and uniquely immersive design, STALKER 2 is one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of 2024 — at least, it would be, if it was a bit more polished.

Indeed, STALKER 2 is a bit of a mess, with bugs and other problems plaguing the zone, beyond the mutant bugs in-game. Glitches and optimization issues are prevalent on both Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC, and STALKER players have also criticized the game's A-Life system, which handles dynamic events in-game.

Perhaps the biggest issue, particularly for Xbox players, is the game's controller inputs. For some reason, GSC Game World set STALKER 2's gamepad deadzones to zero. This means that even the slightest movement of a stick will trigger movement, and since the vast majority of controllers out there have some form of stick drift, this will cause phantom movements while playing. Hall Effect sticks like those found on the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro or GameSir G7 bypass the issue to some degree, but even these controllers feel overly sensitive compared to what you'd ideally want to see from a first-person shooter on gamepad. When I first played STALKER 2 with my Xbox Elite Controller Series 2, I thought my controller was broken.

Thankfully, GSC Game World today confirmed that a fix is on the way.

Responding to feedback on Twitter (X), GSC Game World noted that "We are working on this issue already. Thank you for the feedback," on a thread specifically about the deadzones and stick drift.

The developers have also been working hard on releasing updates for the game already, fixing anomalous quest bugs, NPC glitches, collision issues, and crash issues. During the review period, there were over 200 GB of updates alone.

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While STALKER 2 needs polish, it's still absolutely incredible

I noted in my previous STALKER 2 preview that Microsoft had a game of the year contender on its hands. And sure, I was playing a preview build on a high-end PC with mouse and keyboard, and even then I noted that polish could potentially be an issue. Even with the issues, STALKER 2 proves itself to be a fantastic landmark experience, with some of the most detailed hand-crafted open-world design we've seen from the genre in years.

Mutants probably need a hitpoint reduction and the game's dynamic "A-Life" enemy spawning system probably needs to have its range and dynamism increased, but GSC Game World is hard at work absorbing the feedback coming in on these points. GSC Game World has already stated plans to include free updates alongside paid expansions, which look set to give STALKER 2 a long life in the coming years.

I'll see you back in The Zone as soon as that deadzone fix goes in, although you should know that you can also play STALKER 2 with any good keyboard and mouse for Xbox as well.

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

Bugs notwithstanding, STALKER 2 is a landmark open-world experience with an atmosphere and vibe that no other game can match. Play as Skif, on a revenge arc in an apocalyptic post-nuclear landscape.

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