Bottom line: The first three Stalker titles: Shadow of Chernobyl, Clear Sky, and Call of Pripyat, will receive substantial updates on May 20. The enhanced editions feature upgraded graphics and numerous quality-of-life improvements. Veteran players will receive the updated versions for free for each title they already own on Steam or GOG.
GSC Game World has shared details about the long-awaited enhanced editions. These include updated system requirements which, while significantly higher than those of the original releases, feel modest by today's standards.
Visual enhancements include god rays, dynamic screen-space reflections, global illumination, new water shaders, improved skyboxes, upscaled textures, and higher polygon counts.
The user interface has also been refreshed, with full gamepad support and other usability improvements. While the in-game content and AI remain unchanged, GSC Game World has addressed numerous bugs – something longtime Stalker fans have come to expect.
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Since these remasters are based on games originally released in 2007, 2008, and 2010, modern mid-range and mainstream PCs should run them easily. At 1080p on low settings, even older GPUs like the Nvidia GTX 960 and AMD Radeon RX 560 can still achieve 60 fps.
For 4K gameplay, a GeForce RTX 2080 Ti or Radeon 6800 XT is recommended. Depending on VRAM requirements, GPUs like the RTX 3070, 4070, or the upcoming 5060 Ti may offer similar performance. FSR upscaling is supported, but not DLSS or XeSS. Despite the improved visuals, storage demands remain modest, with each game requiring only around 10 GB.
Unfortunately, moving to the enhanced editions means Stalker's extensive modding community will have to start from scratch, as existing mods and save files won't be compatible. However, the new versions include Steam Workshop support for easier mod installation and will not replace the original versions.
Owners of Shadow of Chernobyl, Clear Sky, or Call of Pripyat will see the enhanced editions appear as separate games in their Steam or GOG libraries when they go live on May 20.
For new players, the updated titles will be available individually for $20 or as a $40 bundle, both of which include the original versions.
The effort to revisit the classic Stalker games began last year, when GSC Game World released the first-ever console ports in a bundle titled Stalker: Shadows of the Zone Trilogy for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Next week's update brings the enhanced package to Steam, GOG, the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series consoles.