Here’s an interesting tidbit from the world of gaming: a player of STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl has discovered an unexpected glitch that lets the character Skif zip across the map at lightning speed. Although the game includes a fast-travel option to cover the sprawling 64-square-kilometer map efficiently, this peculiar glitch provides a quirky alternative to travel swiftly even when overloaded with gear, particularly to reach a nearby settlement in a hurry.
After a decade-long wait, STALKER 2 finally arrived as the fourth installment in GSC Game World’s acclaimed franchise, following 2009’s Call of Pripyat. While fans eagerly await a promised multiplayer mode to arrive in a future update, the game has unfortunately faced some review-bombing, allegedly for malicious reasons. Nonetheless, with over 1.4 million copies sold since its November release, it continues to garner praise from critics and players alike.
In a video shared by Reddit user jbarn23 on the STALKER subreddit, we see the player encounter a bizarre anomaly while armed with the Veles Detector. As soon as a bolt is thrown, Skif is launched skyward, landing safely without a scratch at the nearest settlement. While STALKER 2 boasts a damage-reducing artifact for bullet wounds, the community is amazed at how Skif took no fall damage from such a height, adding to the glitch’s allure.
This glitch draws amusing comparisons to beloved bugs in The Elder Scrolls series, where quirky glitches are almost traditional. Some Redditors likened the STALKER 2 bug to experiences in Morrowind, dubbing it the "Anomaly of Icarian Flight." Others saw it as potential fodder for future speedrunning strategies, though many agreed that speedrunners would prefer non-exploit tactics.
While players enjoy the hilarity of this flying glitch, other surprises remain in the STALKER 2 universe, such as an unexpected Harry Potter easter egg someone recently uncovered. Although a patch will likely address the flying glitch soon, it’s providing the community with plenty of laughs while it lasts.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl puts players in the radioactive Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, drastically changed since a fictional second explosion in 2006. Encounter mutants and factions that make survival challenging but entice many with the promise of valuable artifacts. Experience an epic non-linear story across varied environments as you navigate this vast 64-square-kilometer zone, choosing allies and altering your destiny through countless paths. Engage in intense battles with diverse enemies using a host of weapons, customizable into hundreds of unique combinations. Released for Xbox Series X and Series S, as well as Microsoft Windows, this game utilizes Unreal Engine 5 and is rated M for mature audiences.
