What you need to know
- It may only be a few days after STALKER 2's release, but there are already dozens of mods for the PC version of the game available on Nexus Mods.
- These mods do everything from nerf mutant health to reduce equipment repair costs, with the most popular mods addressing the open-world shooter's performance problems.
- The Xbox version of the game doesn't have mod support yet, but developer GSC Game World did say it would get it at some point.
Modding has always been a big part of the STALKER community, so it's hardly surprising that the first mods for STALKER 2 started rolling out just hours after the game's highly anticipated release this week. Even though it's only been a little over two days since the game came out, there are already over 80 unofficial tweaks and adjustments you can install with the PC versions of the game.
You can browse these at your leisure over at the STALKER 2 Nexus, which is its dedicated section on Nexus Mods, the most popular mod hosting site in the PC gaming world. So far, there are mods for everything from nerfing mutant health to slashing weapon and armor repair costs, with the most downloaded releases being projects that aim to improve the open-world survival shooter's overall performance.
So far, the most popular mod for STALKER 2 is Stalker Optimizer, with a whopping 78,750 downloads (55,140 unique downloads) since Wednesday. It's been used by many as a way to reduce stuttering and improve the speed of shader compilation in STALKER 2, and may also help you eke out an extra 5-10 FPS without negatively affecting the game's visual quality "depending on your CPU."
I'm personally waiting until I fully complete my ongoing 50+ hour playthrough of STALKER 2 before I dabble seriously with mods, even if I do agree with the community consensus that mutants are too tanky and that equipment durability/repair costs are a bit too expensive. I'll probably never use mods that touch carry weight, however, as I feel firm limitations on how much Skif can haul around are important for achieving a sufficiently challenging experience.
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One mod I am using, though, is UETools, which enables an in-game console and makes Unreal Engine debugging tools available for player use. You can use it for cheating if you want to, but I installed it for the sole purpose of noclipping through walls and erroneously locked doors in order to progress a few borked side quests. With it, I was able to successfully get those done.
The strong start for STALKER 2's modding scene can be attributed at least in part to the game's incredibly successful launch. In these opening days, it's flown up the Steam charts and has even sold over 1 million copies, which is a big achievement for a non-AAA title that's also available on both Xbox and PC through Xbox Game Pass. A recent post from developer GSC Game World thanked players for journeying to The Zone, with the studio confirming it's working on fixes for things like the A-Life 2.0 AI simulation system or missing controller deadzones in other communiqués.
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It's worth noting that while these initial batches of mods only work with the PC versions of STALKER 2, GSC has said mod support will come to Xbox, too. There's no clear timeline on when, sadly, but there will be a mod system in place on Xbox Series X|S at some point in the future. Another positive is that many of the mods work on the PC Game Pass version of the title on the Microsoft Store as well as the ones that are sold on Steam or GOG. The process of installing them on that platform might be different, though; you should always read each mod's installation instructions carefully.
Overall, it's cool to see dozens of mods for STALKER 2 already rolling out, but what I'm really excited to see are the projects coming in months and years — the big overhauls and the STALKER: GAMMA-style revamps that will inevitably expand STALKER 2 with extra systems, new survival mechanics, and more. Those and other STALKER: Anomaly modpacks gave fans new and engaging ways to play STALKER in the 15 years between 2009's Call of Pripyat and the new sequel, and it'll be fun to see what the series' talented modders can do with the new game.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl has arrived on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC, and is one of this year's best Xbox games and best PC games. It has a $59.99 MSRP, but notably, you can get it for a discount at CDKeys right now. You can also play it through Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
