Xbox's STALKER 2 Console Exclusivity Deal for a Year Reportedly Cost More Than the Game's Development Budget

Ever wondered how much it costs for Xbox to keep a game exclusive to its platform? A new claim suggests the answer can be staggering. The creator of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl says Microsoft paid more for the game’s one-year Xbox console exclusivity than it cost to develop the entire title.

The revelation comes from GSC Game World founder Sergiy Grygorovych, who appeared on the Ukrainian YouTube channel OLDboi (embedded at the end of this article). The interview was first highlighted by Insider Gaming before being picked up by other outlets.

Xbox’s exclusivity payment reportedly exceeded the game’s development budget

Grygorovych said he remains bound by a non-disclosure agreement and couldn’t reveal the exact amount. However, he made one thing very clear.

We received more from Xbox, from Microsoft, for releasing exclusively on Xbox than we spent on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. When asked whether the Xbox deal effectively paid for the game before launch, Grygorovych responded with a simple “Yes.”

Per the interview, Microsoft became interested after seeing the strong response to an early S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 trailer. Grygorovych said the company quickly prepared the required documents, with the signing process taking around one week.

It’s worth noting the agreement covered Xbox console exclusivity, not full platform exclusivity. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 launched simultaneously on PC and Xbox Series X|S on November 20, 2024. It was also available on Xbox Game Pass on day one.

The game later arrived on PlayStation 5 on November 20, 2025, confirming the exclusivity period lasted exactly one year. While Microsoft has never disclosed the value of the agreement, Grygorovych’s comments offer one of the clearest insights yet into what a major console exclusivity deal can look like.