Classic STALKER Trilogy Comes to Switch Ahead of STALKER 2 Release

Have you ever sat around the campfire and thought to yourself, “I wish I was in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone right now“? If that sentence seems even vaguely relatable, the developers at GSC Game World have your back.

The Ukrainian developer has announced the STALKER: Legends of the Zone trilogy is coming to the Nintendo Switch on October 31st, making the unspeakable horrors of the Zone a portable experience.

No STALKER 2 Anomalies

The announcement comes after the November postponement of the STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl project, one of the most wish-listed games on Steam today.

STALKER 2 Director Discusses AI Mechanics and Wartime Development

Based on what creative director and producer Slava Lukyanenka says, not even that could stop STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl from coming out.

The dev studio has assured fans that this Switch port of the classic STALKER trilogy does not affect the November 20th release date for the new title.

It is not a stretch to assume that Legends of the Zone on Switch is coming out a month earlier to avoid clashing with the sequel.

STALKER: Legends of the Zone is currently available for Xbox One, Series X/S, and PlayStation 4. GSC and Nintendo are yet to announce the pricing, but the bundle typically retails for $39.99 on both storefronts (though it is possible to buy each title for $19.99).

STALKER: Legends of the Zone is a port of the three classic games in the series: STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl (2007), STALKER: Clear Sky (2008), and STALKER: Call of Pripyat (2009).

Turning Jank into Gold

Stalker Legends of the Zone Nintendo Switch Snork

The STALKER trilogy is arguably the peak of ‘slavjank’, an almost mythical term that describes games from Eastern European developers with clunky mechanics that somehow create a hypnotic atmosphere.

With that in mind, one wonders how successful the transition to Nintendo Switch will be. STALKER is a game with ruthless AI enemies, tedious inventory management, and a heavy focus on the soundscape for ambiance and survival.

VR gameplay of Kahn discovering an enemy in Metro Awakening.

New Metro Awakening Release Date Trailer At State Of Play

The VR spin-off to the mainline Metro series’ release date was revealed alongside a new trailer at the latest PlayStation State Of Play.

The Switch is a formidable platform as far as customization and attachments go, but it is difficult to imagine the classic STALKER games being a smooth experience using the default controllers and built-in loudspeakers.

At the same time, this would not be the first radioactive survival horror shooter on the platform. Fellow Ukrainian studio 4A Games released the Redux versions of Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light on Switch, to an overall positive reception.

Metro Redux holds 30 FPS at 720p on handheld mode, with the main complaint being relatively long loading times compared to the original PC version.

STALKER: Legends of the Zone is the last thing to come out before the big release of STALKER 2, and offers the perfect opportunity to reacquaint yourself with the story, locations, and characters. Good hunting, stalker.

Stalker 2 Devs Discuss Delays And Development Under Microsoft

In a recent interview at Gamescom 2024, the Stalker 2 Devs shared information regarding development with Microsoft and the upcoming November release.

Franchise: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
Released: March 20, 2007
Developer(s): GSC Game World
Publisher(s): THQ
Engine: x-ray engine
ESRB: M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
How Long To Beat: 15 Hours
Metascore: 82

Classic STALKER Trilogy Comes to Switch Ahead of STALKER 2 Release