The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 developers "are genuinely grateful to the Xbox team for all the collaboration"
Ten days ago, we announced the Game Pass titles that would be added to the service during the first half of November, obviously with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 as the main attraction.
At the same time, we also revealed which games would be removed from the service on November 15, including S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. This means that it will disappear today, Saturday, almost exactly one year after it was added. Normally, this kind of thing goes pretty much unnoticed, but the Ukrainian title is no ordinary game, as the team has been severely affected by Russia's war against the country, including the murder of a colleague.
This led to repeated delays, which in normal circumstances could lead to cancellations or other consequences when an agreement is not honoured. However, Microsoft seems to have been very understanding of GSC Game World's incredibly difficult situation, which has led the studio to write a farewell letter on Instagram filled with gratitude towards them as it leaves the service. They recount how it all started and how positive it has been for both developers and gamers:
"This one started with a single email and grew into one of the most glowing partnerships we've ever had. A match happened that ultimately made millions of players happy."
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The studio goes on to thank the Xbox team, praising how they supported them through thick and thin, even when things were at their darkest:
"We've said this many times, but we are genuinely grateful to the Xbox team for all the collaboration, incredible showcases, heartfelt care, and amazing professionalism. Your hand of support could always be felt, even in the darkest moments. Together, we gave players an unforgettable experience. We are sincerely proud of what we've achieved together. This road without you would have been, at the very least, completely different.
"S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is leaving Game Pass, but our shared journey and friendship will only continue."
There is still plenty of life in the game, and this coming week it will also be released on PlayStation 5. GSC Game World concludes by stating that "the world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. awaits new stories and experiences, story DLCs, and many surprises that we're already preparing."
As you know, we were very fond of the adventures in the forbidden zone, and if you haven't tried S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl yet but are interested, we recommend reading our review where we explain why you should definitely give it a go. It's also worth remembering that since the text was written, the flaws that did exist have been largely addressed.
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