The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 team has confirmed that GSC Game World has shifted from the X-Ray Engine altogether and will instead use Unreal Engine to better support the mod community.

If you ever played one of the older S.T.A.L.K.E.R. titles, then you know just how janky the older engine was. It was a mess, plagued by issues including stuttering, performance hiccups, and it was even a nightmare for the modding community to even get a handle on.

Since 2018, we’ve not heard much about the game until recently as the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Twitter handle has once more sprung to life, giving us an even deeper look into what’s going on behind the scenes. Well. don’t get too hopeful yet, but never hurts to be a bit optimistic about the upcoming title.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is powered by Unreal Engine: pic.twitter.com/RdDWr4yYj3

— S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) January 2, 2020

The move away from the X-Ray engine will allow for even creepier experiences, better lighting effects, and hopefully, a game that’s a lot more stable altogether. While many are beginning to suspect S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 as an Epic Games Store exclusive, the studio has denied commenting regarding the inquiries, stating that they “will talk about this later”.

While the game was slated to hit digital and physical shelves in 2021, we have the right to assume this isn’t the case anymore, and that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will release when it’s ready. As they always say, take your time, make a great game, then ship it out and support the fans.

About the Writer(s):

Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the borders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter or Facebook.