S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 receives patch 1.5 – new weapons, anomaly, mutant trophies, and modding tools

GSC Game World has released a major update for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Patch 1.5 introduces several significant gameplay additions and technical improvements. The release was confirmed via the game’s official Discord and is expected to go live in the second half of June.

New Weapons Added

Bolt-Action Rifle (inspired by the Mosin-Nagant) – a long-range sniper rifle with scope attachment support.
Kora Pistol – reminiscent of the Colt 1911, this .45 ACP sidearm can be customized with a suppressor, optic, laser, and extended mag.

New Environmental Hazard

Electric Water Tornado – a dangerous anomaly that forms over water surfaces and emits high-voltage discharges when approached.

Mutant Trophies System

Players can now collect parts from mutants and sell them, adding a new economic and gameplay layer tied to hunting and exploration.

Expanded A-Life System

The A-Life AI simulation now applies to all NPCs across the map, not just those near the player. NPCs may respawn, and random spawn events are reduced for a more immersive Zone experience.

Official Modding Support

The long-awaited ZoneKit modding toolkit is now available. It enables players to create custom animations, weapons, UI elements, and more, with integration through Steam Workshop and Mod.io.

Additional Key Improvements

Improved reload animations: Players can now interrupt and resume reloads, making combat more dynamic.
Ultrawide screen support: Visual scaling and UI compatibility enhanced for wider aspect ratios.
Ammo rebalance: Minor tweaks made to light machine gun and sniper ammo stats.
Mutant behavior fixes: Enemies are now less “bulletproof,” making engagements more balanced and satisfying.

Release Timing

Patch 1.5 is scheduled to roll out between June 23–30, 2025, according to GSC community managers on Discord.

Summary:

Patch 1.5 is a major step forward for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, bringing two new iconic weapons, a dangerous anomaly, a loot-based mutant system, and full-fledged modding tools. Combined with AI upgrades, animation polish, balance tweaks, and quality-of-life fixes, this update sets the stage for even deeper gameplay and community creativity.