The Cost of Hope DLC for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was released along with update 2.0

GSC Game World has released Cost of Hope, the first story expansion for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. A new trailer accompanies the launch, revealing the setup of the story and the key players caught in the conflict.

The plot centers on a fragile truce between the Duty and Freedom factions. Skif finds himself back at the heart of the action, and his choices will determine how far the standoff between the Zone most powerful factions escalates.

The expansion leans into uneasy alliances and relationships where the line between friend and foe gets blurry. The developers promise tense combat missions and choices with no clean answer, making it tough to fully commit to either side.

Alongside the new storyline, fresh mutant types have shown up in the Zone, hunting stalkers wherever they can find them. To fight back, players get access to new weapons scattered throughout the world.

Update 2.0 launched alongside the expansion, bringing changes to the base game. Here what the patch includes:

Graphics and world:

• Reworked lighting and exposure that behave consistently outdoors, indoors, and underground

• Natural shadows and reflections that respond properly to light sources

• Fully updated vegetation, terrain, and environment textures

• Fog now works as a gameplay mechanic, reducing visibility and audibility for both sides

A-Life and NPCs:

• More meeting points and contested areas between NPCs and mutants, including campfires and checkpoints

• Enemies now search bodies

• Fixed enemy behavior when shooting or throwing grenades from behind cover

• Fixed overcrowding in certain locations relative to neighboring areas

• Bloodsucker and flesh appearance now depends on habitat

• New mutant subspecies and variations

Weapons and gear:

• Arev assault rifle

• GP3A and SKP marksman rifles

• Fora-230 submachine gun

• A hidden weapon variant tucked away somewhere in the Zone

• 3x scope for Western bloc weapons

• Red dot sight for Eastern bloc weapons

• Weapon tilt aiming outside of NVG mode

• Three types of binoculars with different functions, found in the Zone or sold by traders

Modes and interface:

• "Master" difficulty

• Optional "Expedition" mode

• Customizable rules with separate difficulty settings

• A stats page on the PDA tracking time spent in the Zone

The new trailer does contain story spoilers, so cautious players may want to hold off watching until they finish the expansion. Cost of Hope is available now on PC and Xbox Series.