The expansion is live, but entitlement differs between Ultimate, Season Pass, Standard, and Deluxe ownership.
STALKER 2: Cost of Hope released August 20, 2026 for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. It is the first major expansion and is not automatically included with every base-game edition.
Entitlement check
| Ownership | Cost of Hope access |
|---|---|
| Ultimate Edition | Included |
| Season Pass | Included |
| Standard Edition | Separate purchase or qualifying upgrade required |
| Deluxe Edition | Separate purchase or qualifying upgrade required |
| Update 2.0 only | Does not grant the paid expansion |
Check the platform store while signed into the account that owns the game. A store may display a purchase button before it resolves an edition or pass entitlement, and regional upgrade options can differ.
Expansion versus free update
Cost of Hope supplies the new story and expansion content. Update 2.0 launched the same day but is free for all base-game owners. Installing 2.0 does not mean the paid campaign is owned. The Update 2.0 page keeps the free feature list separate.
If access is confirmed, use the start guide to choose between campaign progression and the DLC skip-ahead options.
Sources
QUICK ANSWERS
Questions players ask next
When did Cost of Hope release?
August 20, 2026.
Which editions include Cost of Hope?
GSC says Ultimate Edition and Season Pass ownership include it; Standard and Deluxe owners buy it separately or upgrade.
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Missing an answer—or found something outdated?
Send the exact game problem, platform, and version. Corrections are reviewed before expansion requests.