Who should you show the PDA to in STALKER 2?

(Image credit: GSC Game World)

Showing the unusual PDA in STALKER 2 comes up twice during the game and it’s very unclear what will actually happen if you decide to show the PDA to Colonel Korshunov or Scar or keep it hidden. Since you have the choice to show or hide the PDA, there are also several combinations of choices here, but only the first one really matters, altering what you can access in STALKER 2 and how you can access it. But we’ve been through all the options so you don’t have to. Here’s who you should show STALKER 2 PDA to and why.

STALKER 2 unusual PDA choices explained

Stalker 2 PDA scar — (Image credit: GSC Game World)

The option to show the unusual PDA in STALKER 2 first appears when you return to the Slag Heap after helping Diode. However, when you get back you find the Ward has taken over and Diode is nowhere to be found.

Instead you'll be talking to Colonel Korshunov and during this conversation the option to show him the PDA will appear. If you show Korshunov the PDA you'll receive a Ward badge you can use to access the Noontide base you're then sent to.

You'll then meet Richter outside who'll send you to the Sawmill where you'll find a character called Scar you can also show the PDA to. If you show the PDA to Scar instead of the Colonel you'll be sent to the same Noontide base but will have to complete a sub-mission called A Heavy Burden to retrieve some cargo to buy your way in. That can involve fighting a boar and a bloodsucker along the way.

Overall, the options here are as follows:

Show the PDA to Colonel Korshunov and show the PDA to Scar
Show the PDA to Colonel Korshunov and don't show the PDA to Scar
Don't show the PDA to Colonel Korshunov and show the PDA to Scar
Don't show the PDA to Colonel Korshunov and don't show the PDA to Scar

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However, showing the PDA to Colonel Korshunov is the only real decider here. If you do that it doesn't matter what you do with Scar, as you've sided with the Ward for this mission. Showing Scar the PDA after Korshunov will get you called a 'snitch' by one of Scar's men, with Scar doing little more than wishing you luck and sending you on your way.

As mentioned, if you choose not to show the PDA to Colonel Korshunov and then show it to Scar instead he'll send you to a Noontiders base, just with an extra mission to complete to get in.

If you choose to show the PDA to no one, then one of Scar's men will stop you when you're leaving and you'll then get sent to the Noontider's base with the Heavy Burden mission anyway.