S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: what are the new system requirements and why is there a fuss in Russia about the upcoming release

The long-awaited release of the post-apocalyptic shooter "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl" is still a few days away, and another scandal is breaking out around it. This time the game has caused a real stir in Russia.

According to Anton Gorelkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, the game may be officially banned in Russia because the Ukrainian studio GSC Game World is responsible for its creation. "I do not exclude that if, after its release, illegal information (extremism, justification of terrorism, incitement to ethnic hatred, etc.) is found in the game content, the most severe measures will be taken," he was quoted as saying in an interview with the Daily Storm propaganda outlet Medusa.

It is reported that the Russian Federation is going to impose liability in this case on "those who are recognized as involved in the dissemination of this information." It is not specified who exactly is meant by this wording – it could be distributors and sellers, as well as ordinary players.

At the same time, in a comment to the same Daily Storm, lawyer Mikhail Mushailov warned that in today's Russian realities, it would be easy to prove that the player was aware of the position of GSC Game World, which condemns Russian aggression and helps the Armed Forces. For this, the lawyer says, one could face treason charges and a long prison term.

Russian repackers, who publish illegal versions of video games in the public domain, took this warning seriously and have already begun to abandon plans to publish S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. Thus, the VK community of the byXatab repacker posted a message that the release should not be expected from them.

Meanwhile, "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl" will be released exclusively on PC and Xbox consoles worldwide. The game will be playable on S and X series devices. It will also be available on Game Pass.

As for PCs, the game's official account on the X platform (formerly Twitter) has updated system requirements. Thus, to install S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, you will need 160 GB of disk space and at least 16 GB of dual-channel RAM. Detailed requirements can be found in the infographic published by the developers.

As OBOZ.UA reported earlier, the release of "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl" was postponed several times. The final release date was November 20, 2024. The game will not have a Russian voice acting, but you will be able to choose Russian subtitles. The shooter will not be available in Russia. At least through official distribution channels.

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