Will STALKER 2 have co-op multiplayer and cross-play?
No, STALKER 2 will not have a co-op mode, meaning you'll have to play through the survival horror shooter by yourself. However, its multiplayer mode that's coming post-launch could have cross-play. That hasn't been confirmed by the developers at GSC Game World at the time of writing, though.
STALKER 2 won't have co-op at launch
With titles like Helldivers 2 and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 launching to both critical and commercial acclaim earlier this year, it's been proven that there's a big market for PvE-focused shooter games with co-op elements. It's not exactly surprising, then, that many are wondering if STALKER 2 — the long-awaited survival horror first-person shooter (FPS) sequel from developer GSC Game World — will have a co-op mode of its own. After all, The Zone is a hostile and unforgiving, yet atmospheric and rewarding place to explore, and journeying through it with a friend or two at your side could be a ton of fun.
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Unfortunately for hopeful players, though, STALKER 2 will not have co-op multiplayer, as its developers feel it should be experienced solo. This was confirmed many months ago on a FAQ page, and while that page has been taken offline after recent changes to the game's website, there hasn't been any new information that suggests STALKER 2 will have co-op when it releases on November 20.
With that said, there's always a chance GSC Game World will add it to the game at some point down the line — especially if the game's community requests it strongly and consistently after the FPS launches. It's also worth noting that players may be able to figure out a way to add co-op multiplayer through modding like The Elder Scrolls fanbase did with Skyrim Together; STALKER 2 will have official mod support on Xbox and PC, so while such a mod project would likely take a long time to develop, it's not impossible that it could be made.
Will STALKER 2 have cross-play?
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl won't have co-op multiplayer, but it will get a free PvP multiplayer experience with Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and customization options "soon after the release." That begs the question: will STALKER 2's multiplayer have cross-play support?
Cross-play is a popular feature that allows fans on one platform to play a game with users on other ones (Steam and Xbox, for example). Though some dislike cross-play and disable it whenever possible because they feel like it's unfair to match controller users with keyboard and mouse ones, the feature is generally liked and appreciated by most.
Since STALKER 2 will be available on both Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC via the Microsoft Store with Xbox Game Pass, there's a good chance Xbox fans and Microsoft Store users will be able to play PvP together in STALKER 2 once it's added. I'd also expect everyone using a PC storefront (Steam, Microsoft Store, Epic Games Store, GOG) to be able to play together as well. Cross-play between Xbox and Steam, Epic Games, and GOG is a bit less likely, but could absolutely still happen.
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With all of that said, it's important to stress that this is just speculation based on previous game releases, and that nothing has actually been confirmed by GSC. We likely won't learn anything official about cross-play with STALKER 2 multiplayer until the PvP experience's post-launch arrival draws nearer; as soon as there's more information to share, I'll update this article.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC on November 20, and looks to be one of this year's best Xbox games and best PC games. It has a $59.99 MSRP, but notably, you can preorder it with a discount at CDKeys right now. On day one, you'll also be able to play it through Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
