How big is the Atomic Heart map? That’s a much more difficult question to answer than it may seem at first, because Atomic Heart doesn’t have just one big open world – it’s split into lots of different regions and you can’t just high-tail it from one place to the next willy-nilly.
So while Atomic Heart is technically an open-world game, you’ll soon learn that you won’t be doing much exploration off the beaten track – though there are some things to find if you do venture away from the usual Atomic Heart bosses. Here’s what you need to know about the Atomic Heart map, along with whether there’s an Atomic Heart fast travel mechanic.
How to open the Atomic Heart map
To open the Atomic Heart map, you must press the M key on PC, but only once you’ve escaped Vavilov and boarded the train at Lesnaya Station. Until this point, trying to open the map is impossible, because you’re essentially still in the tutorial phase of the game.
Atomic Heart map size
Quite frustratingly, it’s impossible to zoom out very far when looking at the Atomic Heart map, so you can’t get a full sense of the scale. However, there are 12 Atomic Heart Testing Grounds on the map which are where you can find weapon attachments and upgrades, and even by panning around the map slowly, you can tell it isn’t too big. These are the key landmarks:
- Testing Grounds 1-12
- Kollektiv Complex
- Worker and Kolkhoz Woman
- Dam
- The Motherland
- Reaper
- Plants 1 and 2
- Infirmary
- Boat Station
- Sechenov Research Center
- Arena
Now you know all the details about the map, make sure you read up on how long Atomic Heart is, the best Atomic Heart weapons, and the Atomic Heart system requirements to ensure you can run the game. Also, you may be wondering if Atomic Heart Steam Deck compatibility is a thing – we’ve got all the details. Alternatively, if you want something different to play, check out our list of the best PC games for some recommendations.
Developer Mundfish has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks after it was alleged that the Russian government stands to gain financially from the release of Atomic Heart. This is due to the fact that investors involved in financing Mundfish include GEM Capital, an investment fund whose founder has ties to Gazprom and VTB Bank, both of which are majority-owned by the Russian state.
Further, Mundfish is partnering with VK (formerly Mail.RU) for the Russian release of Atomic Heart, evading sanctions on Steam. VK is also majority-owned by the Russian state through Gazprombank, and Mundfish’s CEO is a former Creative Director at Mail.RU.
With Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, many players are choosing to boycott the game in protest and donate money to organisations like The Ukraine Crisis Appeal, International Rescue Committee, and the British Red Cross.