The iconic S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy is finally going to come to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rumors have been surfacing recently on Taiwan's ratings board hinting at a next-gen release in the near future, which will bring numerous improvements tailored specifically to match contemporary consoles.

What is contained within the Trilogy?

The lineup consists of three cult classics from Ukrainian developer GSC Game World:

• S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (2007)
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky (2008)
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (2009)

Initially released on PS4 and Xbox One in March 2024, the trilogy brought the chilling ambiance of the Zone to the worlds of console gaming with full gamepad support, menu optimization, and the redesigned weapon selection wheel. Native performance optimization is not available in these releases, although they are playable with the PS5 and Xbox Series through backward compatibility.

Next-Gen Enhancements on the Horizon

GSC World has confirmed development of its next-gen update, as revealed in its Q2 2025 roadmap. This update will take advantage of the capabilities offered by current-gen hardware, promising

• Increased graphics and visual fidelity
• Enhanced performance measures
• Tech specifications tuned to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S

The recent age rating in Taiwan, assigning an 18+ classification due to mature content, indicates that the release is approaching.

Potential Free Upgrade for Existing Owners

Although GSC Game World has not yet made the upgrade policy official, there is some conjecture that current owners of the PS4 and Xbox One editions might not have to pay extra to get next-gen support. Since the trilogy only came out last year for $39.99, offering the update for free fits both industry convention and expectations from gamers.

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy will see a natively available release on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with improved graphics and performance for the series. No release date has yet been confirmed, though an age rating document recently emerged hinting at the release approaching. A more immersive experience within the Zone is what should be expected by the community, now optimized for current-gen consoles