Discovering a Harry Potter Easter egg in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl sure made waves among gamers when a player shared their find online. It’s not odd to see developers nodding to popular franchises, even when those franchises, like Harry Potter and STALKER 2, are worlds apart.
After ten long years of anticipation, STALKER 2 finally hit the shelves in November 2024. This FPS survival horror is the latest entry in GSC Game World’s storied series, following up on 2009’s Call of Pripyat. New players are advised to tackle a few starter tasks to ease them into the game’s multi-ending narratives, dazzling photogrammetry graphics, and its sprawling open world, which offers rich experiences waiting to be uncovered.
Recently, Twitter user xGarbett caught the gaming world’s attention with a snapshot from STALKER 2. The image showed an anomaly lit up in the branches of a barren tree by the player. Dangling between those branches was a car, reminiscent of the iconic scene from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets where Ron and Harry find themselves in hot water with the Weasleys’ flying Ford Anglia. This easter egg, clearly designed as a nod to Chris Columbus’s 2002 film, surely put a smile on many fans’ faces.
But it doesn’t stop with just Harry Potter. While Hogwarts Legacy has plenty of nods for avid fans, STALKER 2 so far seems to wave a solitary flag for the wizarding world. Beyond that, the same keen player uncovered references to Dark Souls and Call of Duty 4. One striking find was a lone campfire along a water’s edge, unmistakably an homage to Dark Souls’ Bonfire, a familiar resting place for the Chosen Undead in the cult classic game.
For those invested in Harry Potter, there’s much to anticipate with upcoming launches from Avalanche Software and ties to HBO’s series, proving the franchise still captivates audiences. While the original films remain treasured, new ventures in the Harry Potter universe are always awaited with enthusiasm. STALKER 2’s playful Easter egg is just another testament to the enduring charm and widespread influence of the franchise, subtly acknowledging its place in pop culture.
