On 25th June 2025, GSC Game World released S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl's "Guns & Looting" patch, its Update 1.5. It includes new weapons, completely reworks looting, introduces official mod support, and brings back living A-Life simulation.

It was released alongside an announcement trailer showcasing its fundamental features, which was published on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Its release was also covered on leading media outlets such as PC Gamer, XboxEra, and GamesPress.

Weapons

• Mosin-Nagant (Three-Line Rifle) – A high-precision sniper rifle.
• Kora Pistol – Powerful but slow; also available in a "Night Stalker" variant.

Mutant Loot

Mutant parts—eyes, jaws, tentacles—can now be obtained after battles and traded with specific NPCs such as Malachite.

Modding Tools & Community Support

The patch introduces Zone Kit, the official modding toolkit:

• Supports editing animations, weapons, artifacts, and quests.
• Mods can be published via mod.io and Steam Workshop.

This marks the first stage of mod support, with more features planned for the future.

A-Life

The A-Life system now fully simulates the behavior of NPCs and mutants beyond the player's line of sight, making the world feel more dynamic and believable.

• A new anomaly has been added: Electric Water Whirlwind.
• Inventory improvements include a "Repair All" button, new ammo icons, and reload progress saving.

Combat Balance & Optimization

• Enemy AI improved, mutant behavior refined.
• Ammunition rebalanced (e.g., steel vs armor-piercing rounds).
• Some artifacts now grant durability bonuses for gear.
• Many weapons, including Grom S15 and AS Lavina, received unique modifications.

Bug Fixes & Stability

Dozens of bug fixes address:

• Crashes and errors in Dead Valley and Pripyat.
• UI display issues, especially in ultrawide mode.
• General performance enhancements.

Update 1.5 “Guns & Looting” is a major step forward for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, breathing new life into the Zone, empowering the modding community, and bringing back the long-anticipated depth of simulation.

The game is currently on sale during the Steam Summer Sale — S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is 30% off, and Legends of the Zone Enhanced Edition is discounted by 15%.